Neverland is Changing
by AliceAtlas
Summary: Wendy and Peter take notice of changes in the way they look at one another. But is there more going on in Neverland than just their growing feelings?
1. Chapter 1

Peter pulled Wendy out of the water, and they climbed together behind the waterfall. Both were out of breath, and Wendy and Peter leaned against opposite wet walls of the hidden rocky cave.

"Did you like your swim Wendy?" asked Peter, a wild grin on his face, making Wendy laugh. His hair was plastered around his wet face and he looked silly and boyish.

"Yes," she said. "I didn't know water was that clear. In London it's much different." Peter nodded like he understood.

Wendy looked at the boy in front of her. For weeks she had had the strangest notions. Being close to him was so fun! She enjoyed every laugh they shared together, but sometimes it wasn't enough. Sometimes like now. Being together alone made her heart beat a little harder and she tingled in the pit of her stomach. All she wished for was for Peter to take her hand like he had the night she and Michael and John had left their London flat. His hand was warm and sure, snug in hers that evening. Now she wished for it again. And she still wanted her kiss.

"Peter…" said Wendy pensively trying to coax him to look her in the eyes.

"Yeah Wendy?"

"Do you like the game we play? I mean the one where we pretend to be the boys' mother and father?"

"Yes, I love games, you know that!" Peter grinned.

"Do you like the part when we sit together while they sleep?"

"Sure." He started to look doubtful about the direction Wendy was taking the conversation.

"How about the idea of us being married?" Wendy took a slow unsure step forward.

"I, um, I guess so. I like games, and that's part of that one. Right?"

"Yes, I suppose it is." Wendy crossed the cavern floor and leaned her shoulder against the wall next to him. Peter stared straight ahead at where she had been moments before, wondering why his heart was pounding, and his palms were warm.

"Peter?" She asked softly, willing him in her mind to turn.

"Yes Wendy?" Peter glanced at her and didn't like what he saw in her face, and looked back at the wall in front of him.

"Would you, that is to say, like to, or like me to… well I mean, we're alone. Does your heart ever race when you're around me…when we're alone?"

Peter paused, then nodded his head quickly keeping his hands pressed behind his back against the cave wall.

"Do you get warm…when you think about me?"

He nodded again, this time slowly.

Wendy came around to face him, looking into his eyes. Peter at first looked away, but feeling like he had better pay attention to what was about to happen, looked down into her face. He couldn't look her in the eyes however. That was too hard as his heart started beating wilder, so he focused on her nose and her mouth. Then decided that wasn't doing much good to stem the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach so he closed them instead.

"Peter, I meant what I said the night I met you." Wendy purred, not meaning to, causing Peter to flinch slightly. She wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not. Her heart was racing just a badly as Peters. It was a delicious and scary feeling.

"Hmm?" murmured Peter.

"I still want to give you a kiss." Wendy placed her hands against Peter's shoulders and ever so slowly leaned forward. While her eyes fluttered shut, his eyes flew open as her lips came to rest softly on his. His head fell back against the rock and he was as close to the wall as he could get.

Wendy felt his rigid response and pulled away a bit hurt. Peter was still staring at her with a shocked expression on his face, his lips pursed and tight.

"Oh, I see. You…didn't enjoy that…Peter?" Wendy asked removing her hands from his body and placing them at her side. "Don't worry Peter, I won't try that again."

Wendy walked to the cave mouth, and flew around the waterfall down to the mossy grass in front of the pool. She sat down cursing herself for letting a momentary lapse of curiosity get the better of her.

What was she thinking? She never wanted to see Peter Pan again, if only to save her from embarrassment. But she needed him to show her the way home. Darn, but she would have to stay near until he came out of the cave. But who knew how long that would take?

Peter was still pressed against the cave wall staring straight ahead. What had just happened? He couldn't wrap his head around the physical sensations pulsing through his body. They weren't unpleasant, but neither were they welcome. Wendy was supposed to be his mother, his friend. He felt something had changed. Yes, something had changed but not immediately. He had a feeling this "kiss" had been in motion for some time. A week after he had taken Wendy and her brothers, she had started to bother him in a peculiar way. Just something in the way she walked started to change. No that wasn't it, she hadn't changed; it was just him taking notice.

Peter started to become agitated now. Was Wendy doing this to him on purpose? Suddenly he remembered the way she sang the lost boys to sleep. When she had sung Peter's favorite song at his request just nights before, his throat began to tickle and close up, and it felt as though she were physically touching him. He didn't want to tell her to stop, but he didn't want her to sing anymore either.

Then there was the matter of her night dress. Peter started to pace the cave floor now, pondering. He had noticed that it was becoming a bit tattered and there was a hole just above her left knee that exposed some of the creamy white skin of her thigh. Just a spot though. It occurred to him that two days ago he had the most wicked notion to see if her whole leg was all the same color.

But the "kiss" had tipped the rock.

He headed over to the mouth of the cave to peer out through the waterfall. What was going to happen now?

He saw Wendy. His heart skipped a beat for she was wading in the water up to her calves.


	2. Chapter 2

Seeing Wendy so delicate, head down, hair pouring down her back in the water made Peter think impulsive things. Like how he liked these new feelings. Like how he liked the kiss. Like how he'd like another one.

Peter pensively but with new determination in his heart flew out from behind the waterfall and softly landed in the pool behind Wendy. When she heard the splash, her immediate thought was to not look at him. Not reveal how when she opened herself up to him he'd made her feel foolish. But that would do no one any good, least of all her. She could move on from this. So could he. He would have to. She would be brave.

But when she turned around his eyes didn't look at her with the same boyish amusement. There was something new, something fiery and it sent a chill down her spine.

"Wendy, I don't know what you did to me." He said gazing in her eyes. Never let it be said that Peter Pan backed down from a challenge, even a soft pretty one that looked at him through long eyelashes. "But I think I like it."

"Ohh…" Wendy trailed off. What to say to that! Especially when Wendy thought she'd offended his very self, and now here he was admitting it was not so, and more than that, he liked the kiss! What would a proper lady do? Wendy hadn't felt like being a proper lady the times she'd been alone with Peter, but felt now that it was important to at least consider the idea.

"Well… What do you intend to do about it Peter Pan?" Maybe it wasn't such a good idea putting the next move in Peter's hands but she felt wary of being the aggressive party again.

"I want to touch you."

Wendy's eyes grew wider. Though trying to hold her nerves in check they were slowly coming undone.

She swallowed. "Where?"

"Here." Peter lifted his hand touched his fingertips to Wendy's cheek. Slowly he moved them back toward her hairline so that his warm palm finally rested against the blushing hot skin on her face.

The temperature seemed to be getting hotter. The water felt icy cold against her feet. There was a thrill that was extending through her extremities and her eyesight felt hazy.

Slowly, slowly her hand came up to join his against her cheek. She placed her hand over his, and Peter sighed deeply. Before this moment she remembered how hard it was to meet his eyes for any period of time. Now she was looking directly into his face with no embarrassment or awkwardness and he was doing the same. If just his fingers on her face could make her feel this way, what would a kiss feel like now when Peter was consciously involved?

As she pondered this thought, a rustling in the bushes behind her made her jump, and drop Peter's hand. Peter put his arm around Wendy's waist and moved her behind him drawing his sword.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for being patient with me! Chapters 4 and 5 will be up shortly :)

CHAPTER 3

The sun hit something metallic and gleaming and the rustling in the bushes became louder. Peter and Wendy's eyes scanned back and forth across the greenery until they could see that the reflected light came from a silver hook that had emerged now being followed by a large red hat and coat. Hook!

Out came the infamous captain with a look a cat might have after trapping a mouse in a corner. Smee followed closely behind, ever attentive to his captain, holding his sword. He handed it to Hook with a flourish as he would at a grand ceremony, and smirked at the couple in the pool.

Wendy had a hold of Peter's hand and in the other she had the dagger Peter had given her just such an occasion.

"Well, well, well Peter Pan! What have we here? Two young lovers caught off guard? This isn't like you Peter, to be so unaware of your surroundings. You used to keep one eye on the prize and one eye behind you." He smirked at Smee next to him and they both shared an ugly chuckle.

"What are you talking about you filthy pirate!" Peter snarled.

"Distractions my boy, distractions!" gesturing to the girl standing behind him.

Wendy had been staring at Hook with a mix of terror and excitement, but now a flood of embarrassment colored her cheeks. This whole time Hook had been privy to this private moment with Peter where her soul had been unraveling for Peter only. Her blood boiled and she longed to slash out with her dagger and wipe that insidious grin off his face.

"It's no concern of yours Hook!" said Peter. "Go back to your ship and we'll pick this up another day, when you can face me without cowering in the bushes first."

"Weak words Peter," said Hook. Now, very quickly it was apparent that they were surrounded in the glen by Hook's men as the bushes all around them began to rustle and move. Twenty or so pirates emerged from the undergrowth and advanced, menacing and growling with swords brandished.

"Oh Peter, what do we do?!" Wendy whispered in his ear, gripping his hand tighter.

"Don't worry Wendy. I've done this lots of times!" He gave her hand a squeeze and turned back to the man in front of him.

"I bet you think you're pretty clever Hook."

"Is that a question, or a statement of truth?" Hook smile as he looked around at his crew, inviting them to laugh with him. Nervous chuckles travelled around the circle of pirates.

"You may be clever, but you have no pride, no real trust in your own skills."

_Oh no_, thought Wendy. She didn't see how this was handling the situation.

"What?" Hook stared at Peter.

"Obviously you need extra men to fight your battles! You've become a cowardly codfish, old man! Now, come forward and fight me man to man!"

Hook's eyes darkened, and he waved a cease fire signal to his men. "Old man am I boy?! We shall see!" Hook, quick as lightening, pulled out a dagger from his coat and threw it at the pair. Peter ducked to his left as the dagger went hurling past his face, and tried to pull Wendy along with him but it was too late. She cried out as Hook's dagger tore at her sleeve, and cut into the skin on her shoulder before landing in the water behind them. Neither of them had much time to think however as Hook came rushing forward slashing his sword and letting out a primal cry.

Peter was there to match his wild hacking blow for blow as Wendy struggled to get out of the way. The cut had left her arm almost useless and she had dropped the dagger Peter had given her in the water. She tried to find it with her feet amidst the struggle, trying to stay behind Peter until she could find it. She wanted to help, but the situation was growing increasingly impossible.

With a loud clang, Peter's sword collided with Hook's, sending Hook's rapier splashing into the deep end of the pool.

"No!" cried Hook, as Peter held his blade to the neck of the pirate.

"Go back to your ship, Old man."

Hook looked at his crew and made a slashing movement across his throat, and the pirates rushed forward into the water to doom the pair.

Peter grabbed Wendy's hand and they flew up into the sky together as fast as possible, leaving behind screams of anger and firing gunpowder.

Wendy was set down gently on the forest floor in front of the boys hideout, still trying to catch her breath, and hold her shoulder to make the bleeding stop.

"Wendy, are you all right?" Peter asked, ripping the sleeve completely from her night dress, and examining the cut.

"Yes, I think so. It all happened so fast! Oh, that hurts Peter! Ouch!" Peter had wrapped the sleeve tightly over the cut. He blew on it, and despite the pain she was in, shivered a little at the contact of his breath on her skin.

"It doesn't look very deep." He closed his eyes, and turned away.

"Thank you for saving me Peter!" Wendy came closer. "Why didn't we fly away before? Before Hook attacked?"

Peter murmured something she couldn't quite hear.

"What?"

"Because it was only a game before!" he turned back to look her in the face. Wendy started at the anger in his eyes.

"It was always a game. Until you got hurt. It's all my fault, it's all my fault…" He closed his eyes again.

"Peter, no. You didn't know that would happen, you didn't know he was there…"

"Exactly! I didn't know he was there, because… Because I was looking at you!"

These words stung so deep, they hurt worse than the cut on Wendy's arm. Her heart began to throb harder than the pulsing in her wound.

"Wendy, we can't do that any more. I couldn't bear it if…" he trailed off trying to collect his thoughts. "…if you got hurt again."

Wendy swallowed hard. He was right she guessed. She was a distraction, and it was her own fault that she had gotten hurt. The words were a bitter pill. She nodded reluctantly.

Peter was silent for a moment.

"We can't touch anymore. I don't know what world I'm on when we do."

"I understand." Wendy choked out.

"I'll make sure the boys will take care of you and then I'm going to go hunting. I may not be back for a while."

Peter entered the hideout as Wendy turned to cry.


	4. Chapter 4

"Goodnight Slightly! Goodnight John," said Wendy coming around to each bed to kiss the boys on the forehead and tuck them in. This part of the evening ritual Wendy enjoyed immensely. Michael, Tootles and Nibs each wrapping their chubby arms around her neck to give her a tight squeeze before closing their eyes, and the older boys kissing her on the cheek and saying "Goodnight Mother" in return.

How ones heart could be so full of love for children who were not her own was a mystery, but she did not want to contemplate this thought tonight. Her heart may have been full of love for the boys, but there was also a weight and a shadow left over from Peter's words two nights ago. Of course he was right. There would be no more kissing, no more touching, no more meaningful looks. It was hurtful but safe. The thought of losing any one of them because of her, would be too much to bear.

Peter had been gone for two whole days, and when he'd come back he'd barely looked at Wendy and had talked to her only through the boys. It was heart breaking but wise, she told herself.

"Sing us to sleep Mother," came a sleepy voice from one of the twins. Wendy looked around and each of the boys nodded eagerly.

"Very well." and Wendy sat down in a chair and began the verses to Tender Shepherd.

Peter glanced at Wendy and again wished she would stop singing. But it was so beautiful too. He felt the words of the song moving through him. Being a "Father" meant he was a shepherd to the boys, but it was only a game wasn't it? After all they could take care of themselves. He was their leader, the commander, not their Papa. He looked at Tootles, curled up in a tight ball on his bed and felt a twinge in his heart. If anything ever happened to Tootles, Peter would feel much more than pain and sadness. He would be angry, and he knew he would seek revenge on the guilty party.

What was happening to him? That's what a father would do, isn't it? Isn't that what he would have wished for, for himself? Many times.

He looked at Wendy again as she finished her song. No, nothing must ever stand in the way of him protecting his boys. Not even feeling the pulses of desire through his limbs when he saw Wendy's hair glossy in the sunlight. Not the feel of Wendy's hands on his shoulders that made him feel like a man.

The thought however made him feel so lonely that he turned his back to her and closed his eyes.

"Wendy?" asked Michael softly as she stood up to walk to her own quarters. "I mean Mother," he said smiling.

"Yes Michael?"

"Why don't you and Father sleep in the same room? Mother and Father used to in London."

Wendy was flabbergasted! She dared not look at Peter. She couldn't bear the thought of what his face must look like.

"Well, Michael…" she started out slowly. "It's just a game. It's not real, only pretend."

"But its part of the game!" came Curly's voice.

"Well now boys…" started Wendy.

"Yeah, you gotta!" chimed in Slightly.

There came now a chorus of "Yeah's" and protests from each of the beds and hammocks.

She slowly turned to Peter, just to ask him with her eyes to help her. What she found was Peter staring intensely at her trying to work something out in his head. Finally he spoke.

"It is part of the game Wendy."

Wendy's resolve completely melted at these words, the most words he'd said to her for two days, yet she remained frozen to the spot. Peter reached out his hand and walked forward to take hers warm and snug in his. The tingles that erupted from the contact went straight up both of their arms down to the pit of their stomachs causing them to tremor for a moment.

He led her slowly into his quarters past the bearskin door, but not before Wendy squeaked out a "Goodnight boys!" loathing them and loving them at the same time.


	5. Chapter 5

Peter's room was quite warm. A candle flickered in the corner, animal skins hung on the walls, covered the floor, lay over his bed… Wendy thrilled inside a little to think of his doing battle with the vicious bears that lived on the island, his face wild and determined, his skin glistening with sweat… _No! Concentrate Wendy! Keep your wits about you! _She had to calm down!

Peter was standing next to the bed staring at her, both hands on the hem of his shirt. "Just do what you normally do to get ready for bed Wendy," he said huskily. She watched as he pulled the shirt over his head, the muscles of his stomach flexing and un-flexing. She turned her head away quickly from embarrassment and walked over to the small hand mirror she had given him from London hanging on the wall. She stood there for several moments, not daring to breath and she fiddled with the ribbon in her hair.

Peter was completely out of his element. He knew this was a bad idea. He wanted to touch her, to hold her. This is exactly what he was trying to avoid. He told himself he would not come close to her, but here he was being swept along by the tide of emotion boiling inside of him.

Wendy looked behind her. Peter had turned his back and was picking a few leaves from his hair. She couldn't stop noticing the broadness of his shoulders, the fine lines of the sides of his body swooping down to his hips. She turned back to the mirror and freed her hair letting it cascade down her back.

She tied the ribbon around her wrist delicately and began to brush out her hair with her fingers. She felt tiny and fragile in this room with Peter. Her movements were slow and fine, not wanting to break the moment, to do anything to startle herself or Peter.

Peter had turned from grooming himself to see Wendy's hair fall from the ribbon, and he watched, fascinated by the shine of it in the candle light. Something about Wendy was so intriguing. She was so graceful and quiet, like a doe in a meadow, alert but beautiful.

He walked up slowly behind her and gently lifted a section of her hair, and let it run through his fingers. "You're so pretty Wendy, he whispered.

Wendy froze, not moving, barely breathing letting the sensation of him being so near engulf her. She could feel his breath in her hair, the smell of Neverland on him, the feel of his fingers combing the tangles out of her hair gently but with purpose.

"Peter," she breathed.

Peter moved his hands down to her shoulders, careful of the fresh scar from Hook's dagger and let his cheek rest against the back of her head, feeling the softness of her hair. His head moved down to her neck, nuzzling into the warmth there and she moved her hand up to cup his face.

Wendy sighed. She couldn't believe this was happening, but it felt so natural like everything she had experienced with Peter so far had been leading up to this moment. But what about all the things he had said? Those things had weight, and she couldn't ignore the fact that they'd hurt her. And what about the boys' lives? They were in her hands, and Peter's. If they kept touching, she was sure she'd lose herself in Peter, and him in her.

"Peter?" she asked quietly, loathing herself for saying what she was about to.

"Yes Wendy?" His hands were gliding down her arms to her hands to hold them tightly in his.

"What about all the things we talked about… before?"

Peter paused and lifted his head slightly from the crook of her neck. "I can't help it Wendy. I need to touch you." He kissed her shoulder softly. Wendy's eyes rolled back and she closed them.

"And," he continued examining her fingers, "I couldn't concentrate when I went hunting. All I could think of were you and the boys. How I couldn't wait to see you again, how if we were in my room, no one could see us…" He moved the hair to the other side of her head. "How Hook would never see us…" He kissed her neck, and Wendy moaned a little. "Maybe I wouldn't be distracted any more if I knew what is was like to kiss you…"

Peter turned Wendy slowly around to face him. Her eyes fluttered open, and she stared into his, heart pounding.

He pulled her forward to press his lips to hers. Explosions of tingles erupted inside of them. Wendy wrapped her arms around Peter's neck, burying her hands in his tangled hair, and Peter grabbed the small of her back bringing her body firmly against his.

They were completely lost for a moment in each other, hearts hammering, blood boiling, senses on fire… and then…

"Wendy! Wendy! I had a bad dream!" The words from the next room tore into the moment like a sharp blade, but Peter held Wendy steadfast in his arms, not willing to let her go.

"That's Michael's voice," said Wendy against his lips.

"Yes," Peter moved his hand up to her head, and kissed her again.

"But I need to go to him…" Wendy pulled away a little, but when she felt the coldness of the air away from his face, she planted her lips on his again.

"Wendy!" cried Michael, starting to blubber.

Wendy was determined now, her little brother needed her. It took all her might to push against Peter's arms to free herself.

Peter sighed when he knew all was lost for the moment. "I'll go Wendy, you stay here." And he let go of her arms, pulled his shirt back on and pushed past the bearskin.

Wendy poked her head out of Peter's room and watched as Peter knelt beside Michael's bed.

"Peter!" exclaimed Michael, and wrapped his arms around Peter's neck.

"It's all right Michael it was just a dream, shhh. It's all right, I'm right here." He rocked him a little and pulled him into his lap and asked what the dream was about.

Wendy was stone still. The view of Peter being a really real father to Michael was melting the very heart in her body. She wanted to cry and giggle at the same time. If she had felt anything physical for Peter, it was slowly being overshadowed by a real growing love for him. He was fierce but he was gentle. He was wild and unruly, but he was kind. It was too much to bear this moment alone, so she came out to sit with both of them together.

"Michael, are you all right?" she asked stroking his head, and placing one hand on Peter's arm. Peter looked up at her and smiled.

"Yes, Peter said it was just a dream. He was telling me a story of when he fought the Indians." He looked back up eagerly into Peter's face. "What happened after you surprised the Chief?" he asked nuzzling into Peter's arm.

"Well, he was so mad…"

Wendy listened into the night holding onto Michael's hand, and in the other was Peter's firm and warm, her heart full until Michael fell asleep. Peter lay him down gently, and took Wendy's hand again and led her tiptoeing back into his room.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks you guys for the positive reviews! It really is inspirational! This was just a story I started a long time ago, that I had the crazy whim to post, but I'm coming up with all kinds of different ideas now! Thanks again!

...

As soon as Peter pushed past his bearskin door, he spun Wendy into his arms and their lips met. He grabbed fistfuls of her night dress against her back in an effort to get closer. Wendy ran her hands up and down his back, not tiring of the feel of his muscles under them. But she was so sleepy. In spite of the kissing, the touching and the sighing, she felt a yawn leave her mouth as Peter kissed her neck.

Peter looked up at her, "Wendy, are you tired?"

"Yes, but I'm all right," she leaned forward planting light kisses on his mouth, as another yawn escaped her. She turned away, but came back to try again.

"Let's get you to bed Wendy," Peter smiled and scooped her up, carrying her over to the bearskins. He gently laid her down, and stared at her body. He hadn't seen it at this angle before. It was beautiful.

Wendy was just glad that he hadn't been offended by her yawning. It was definitely not an excuse to stop what they were doing. Anyway, this seemed better than standing, but now she was blushing at the way Peter's eyes were scanning her up and down.

Peter could not figure out how her body changed shape in that position, but he was finding he really, really wanted to know how. He pulled off his shirt and lay down next to her and slowly placed his hand on her stomach. He looked into her eyes to see what she thought of his touching this new place. She smiled, maneuvered herself closer to him and kissed him on the nose, putting her hand on his cheek.

He took this as encouragement, and moved his hand slowly up, but found himself yawning as well. Why he would be yawning at a time like this was most inconvenient but he knew that they were both exhausted from the days previous; physically and emotionally. Wendy, who had closed her eyes as Peter's hand began to travel up to the things she had never even touched, now felt his hand cease its progress, and heard his light yawn. She opened her eyes, and saw his, half lidded with weariness but determined to finish what he started. She smiled, kissed him for a moment on the lips, rolled away from him, and snuggled into his arms, her back pressed firmly against his chest. She grabbed his hand, pulled it around her body and placed it on her breast and closed her eyes. She was his, and he was hers.

Peter didn't see this turning out quite the way he'd hoped, but he was content nonetheless. He finally felt what had been hidden from him, and thrilled inside that Wendy had been the one to help him get there. He closed his eyes, dreaming of the next day, holding Wendy close to him as he slept. But not for too long…


	7. Chapter 7

Hey guys! Thanks again for the reviews! I'm wondering, with this new chapter, I feel like I'm dangerously close to an M rating. What do you think? Should I change it? I'm new to the community, so suggestions would be helpful! Thanks again!

...

Never-birds sang beautiful melodies, the Never-bugs hummed busily, and the Never-flowers seemed to be more fragrant than ever, all noises and smells wafting into the underground room from the high little windows crudely carved in the earth. But nothing was as sweet to Peter Pan as waking up next to Wendy. She was splayed out across his bed, arm laying on his chest with his hand in hers. The blankets and skins were in heaps and jumble's everywhere. Apparently Wendy moved around a lot when she slept.

He kissed her fingers one by one, willing her to wake up. He had woken to something he'd never experienced before, down between his legs, somewhere he thought had been for another purpose. He wanted to continue where they'd left off the night before, but he wanted explanation too.

Wendy took a sharp intake of breath through her nose, and her eyes fluttered open to an unfamiliar ceiling. She'd been dreaming about flying. Not a pleasant dream though. It felt so similar to the terror she'd experienced being shot out of the sky by the lost boys when she first arrived in Neverland when they thought she was a bird. It was the last time she had seen Tinkerbell. This time, she didn't know who had shot her down, but she was falling, falling, falling, and then something touched her fingers lightly…

"Peter!" Oh, but she was happy to not be dreaming anymore and be with him instead. She gained a level of soberness, and looked around embarrassed at the mess she had made, flailing in her sleep and the awkward position she had ended up in. She had hoped she would end up in a graceful pose, hair not tangled and sticking up, and her nightdress not twisted and wrinkled. But when she saw Peter's smiling face looking boyish and excited to see her awake, she stopped caring about her appearance. She smiled what she didn't know to be a seductive smile under her eyelashes and wrapped her arms around him, bringing herself tightly against his body.

"Good morning boy," she whispered, itching for him to kiss her. He was heartbreakingly beautiful when he looked at her that way.

Peter happily obliged with a, "Good morning Wendy Lady," and kissed her determinedly, pulling her tighter.

Something in the way Wendy was kissing him back, and the way she kept moving her body against his, made him open his mouth and lightly flick his tongue against her lips. She drew back a little, surprised but didn't find she was repulsed by it, so she opened her mouth to tentatively meet his tongue with hers. It was strange at first. But the throbbing in her stomach began to grow so much at the intimacy of it, that she slammed her body into his, and he moaned into her mouth.

Peter was feeling the same sensation racing through his nether regions again that he had felt when he woke up. But now was not the time to ask Wendy about it, he just wanted to keep feeling her against him. There was little time for this however as a commotion began to rumble outside the room. The lost boys were awake.

Before Peter even had time for another kiss, they all came rushing in crying, "Good morning!" "Were hungry!" and "Wake up, wake up! No more sleeping!"

They dog piled onto the bed, jumping on Peter, crushing Wendy's legs and scattering blankets and furs to the floor.

"We're hungry Wendy, we're hungry! Can you make us some breakfast please?!" asked Nibs pleading with his hands, as the other boys shouted in agreement. She didn't know what they'd done before she came to Neverland for breakfast, but they certainly had been taking advantage of her presence and her cooking skills since she had gotten there.

Wendy looked at Peter's face and saw a smoldering annoyance. She mouthed to him a "Later" which didn't seem to pacify him at all, but he began to get up anyway.

"Boys!" he yelled. "Go wait outside so the Wendy Lady can get ready." He fully intended to stay and help her, but the boys grabbed his hands and shouted "Meat! Let's go hunting! We want meat!" and dragged him out of the room. Peter looked longingly back at Wendy sitting in the middle of his bed looking delightfully pretty and bemused. He cursed the boys under his breath.

Wendy, despite feeling a bit of the annoyance that Peter was displaying full force at being torn apart, couldn't help but laugh at the situation. Was this what her mother and father felt when the three children would come bounding into their room on Christmas morning? The thought made her realize how much of a child she was at home, and how in a place where she wasn't supposed to grow up, she felt more like an adult than ever. Was that a problem?

There was no use sitting and pondering this however, she was feeling hungry herself. She got up and tried best she could to straighten the things in Peter's room, and went to the make-shift kitchen and started a fire in the hearth.

She grabbed a pot (one of the many things to be found in the hideout, stolen from Hook's ship), and went to the stream to fetch some water to boil for tea. There was no familiar black tea to be found on the island, but she had found some fragrant flowers and herbs, that she had dried in the sun that made a delicious tisane. Only she and John drank it, but it made her feel more at home.

She knelt down next to the stream, and looked at her reflection swirling in the water, a little disappointed at the state of her hair. She combed it out with her fingers, and cupped her hand to take a drink from the flowing water but stopped. There, next to her reflection was another face. She jumped in surprise, and turned around to see Tiger Lily, with a handful of her Braves surrounding her. She froze to the spot, her breath hitching in her throat.

"We caught you Wendy-Bird. You will be our prisoner now."

Wendy let out a little sigh of relief, but she wasn't completely relaxed either. She realized she'd been caught up in a game, one that had been going on longer than she'd been an inhabitant of Neverland, but she was wary of Tiger Lily all the same. She was unpredictable, and she knew she must have feelings for Peter. Wendy knew she needed to stay calm, and take control of the situation.

"Tiger Lily! It's good to see you again," she said, standing up slowly. The Braves stiffened, alert; Wendy sank back down to the ground. Tiger Lily grimaced, which made her normally lovely face look twisted and ugly.

Wendy took a deep breath. "I regret that I really have no time to play this particular game today. The boys are hungry, and I must get back…"

"This is not a game Wendy-Bird!" Tiger Lily shouted, clenching her fists. "You will be our prisoner, and you will not see the lost boys again!"

Now Wendy was scared. "What do you mean Tiger Lily? Why?" Oh why hadn't she brought her dagger? Now she remembered, it was still in the little pool abandoned during the struggle with Hook.

Tiger Lily's eyes went dark, and she strode up to Wendy to whisper vehemently in her ear. "You will never see Peter again. You will never TOUCH him again," she spat out.

Wendy went white hot all over, knowing now that it wasn't just Hook that saw them together in the pool. Was her relationship with Peter to be seen and observed by EVERYONE in Neverland? Wendy felt the flames of anger spring up so ferociously, that she reached up to slap Tiger Lily across the face, but the Indian Braves were already there, grabbing her arms and binding her hands.

"NO!" she screamed. "Let me go! Tiger Lily! Don't!" as she was slung over someone's back, thrashing and flailing.

Tiger Lily smiled, eyes still down and dark.


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks Panskiss for the info! May switch this one to M soon, you're totally right. On with Chapter 8!

...

Peter and the lost boys were quite pleased with themselves. They were returning home victorious with several pheasant type birds, and a Never-sloth (which tasted a lot better than it sounded).

The break from being so caught up in Wendy was unwelcome, but he was convinced now that touching her wasn't as distracting as Hook had implied. He had the bounty to prove it.

He couldn't wait to show his quarry to Wendy. He loved it when she doted on his prowess as a hunter. It made him feel like… well, like a man. Peter stopped in his tracks. A man. He'd thought the thought before; that Wendy made him feel like this. But he passed over it, like it was a natural state of being. A man… The lost boys crashed into him at his abrupt halt.

"What's the matter Peter?" asked Slightly. They all quietly gathered around Peter's frozen form, suddenly attentive to their surroundings.

"Yeah, do you hear Indians?" asked Curly

"Did you see a pirate?" questioned the twins in unison.

"Or perhaps you've perceived a bear lurking in the trees," stated John.

"Or did you see a bear?" asked Michael hugging himself at the thought. John looked down at his brother and rolled his eyes.

"No, it's nothing men. I thought… maybe we should… bring home some fruit for your mother! You know how she likes the prickly pears." Peter congratulated himself on saving the moment.

"I hate fruit," whispered Tootles under his breath, ornery after walking for so long.

"Well, Wendy doesn't!" said Peter. "Now go find some!"

The boys raced off quickly, hoping to find some big bushes and trees ready for harvesting so they could fill some sacks, and fill their bellies at the same time. Hunting was hard work, and they couldn't wait until breakfast any longer.

Peter stayed behind, watching the ground, thinking. John stopped when he caught a glimpse of Peter's stayed form and waked back to him.

"Is anything the matter Commander?" asked John. Peter looked up at him, startled at the voice. His eyes betrayed his concerned thoughts before he could put up his usual façade of control.

"No. Everything is fine John." He turned away, hoping that would end the conversation, but John was not so easily put off.

"Excuse me sir, but as I've come into a role here as a tactical advisor of sorts in our missions, I've learned to read your expressions quite well. You seem to be displaying concern over some matter, and I feel it is my duty to help you sort it out. Is it in regard to our upcoming adventure with the Indians?"

Peter looked at John for a moment, knowing he was caught. He might as well tell someone. It was going to drive him crazy.

"No, it's not about the Indians." He paused. "It's about growing up."

John stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"It's, I… How I feel about your sister, is making me… grow up I think." Peter put his head in his hands.

"I see," said John caught off guard. He wasn't surprised by Peter's feelings, but he was surprised that he was opening up to him about them. He felt a change in their friendship was about to take place.

Peter was pacing back and forth now.

"I like being around your sister. I like…" he stopped and looked at John shyly. "I like… touching her."

John raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Peter resumed his pacing.

"I like it a LOT, but I swore NEVER to grow up." He stopped again. "Never."

John opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again when Peter's eyes narrowed at the ground.

"I swore to never grow up and to always have fun, but being Wendy's husband, and your father… Well, I've never had so much fun in my life." Peter now walked up to John with a pleading look in his eye. "Is it fun to grow up John? Do you know? I don't know anymore. I used to know everything." Peter's eyes began to tear up. "I'm scared."

John was feeling most uncomfortable now. His brave commander crying? It was hard to stay put and not turn to wander off, forgetting about this moment. But Peter was his friend now and he had sworn allegiance to him. He had to help him somehow. It was his duty.

"It seems to me that we have quite a dilemma on our hands." Peter nodded and sniffed, trying to hold in his embarrassing display.

"Well sir, I can tell you this. I like being a little boy. I like adventures, not having responsibilities. I like living here not having a bed time, and not caring if my hair is brushed. But I still want to grow up."

Peter looked up surprised into John's face. "You do?"

"Yes. I would like very much to grow up."

"But to have a family to take care of, and work in a bank office and wear suits! I won't do it, I won't!"

"I don't want to work in an office. I don't intend to either," said John, wiping off his glasses.

"What else is there?" asked Peter.

"Well, I'm fascinated by the world around me. I'd like to know more about it. Maybe do some field research. I've already taken some samples of the flora and fauna on the island. I'd like to take them home with me one day and study them."

Peter's eyes widened. "Field? Like outside?" he asked.

"Precisely. Or maybe consult for the army. I've gotten quite a taste for battle tactics since I've been here." John puffed up with pride remembering the plan he'd come up with to rescue some of the boys in a game with the Indians. "The world is changing Peter. I have more options now than I would have years ago when you were born. I don't have to be a barrister or join the church nor do what my parents want me to do. I can choose anything I'd like."

Peter stood there contemplating this new knowledge.

"And besides sir, you do have a family that you take care of. And you've done a fine job so far commander." John saluted.

This seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. Peter flew up into the air a little and let out a crow. "You're right John! The cleverness of me, keeping you all alive this far," he beamed.

John felt much better. This was the Peter Pan he wanted to follow. But there was one more thing he felt he had to say. "Now sir, about Wendy."

Peter floated back to earth.

"Just what are your intentions with her?"

"Intentions?" Peter asked.

"As her closest living relative on the island, it is my duty to ask. Do you intend to marry her?"

"Marry?" Peter looked repulsed. Maybe he was more comfortable with the idea of growing up, but something's still remained out of his grasp of acclimating to.

"Well, in our game, you are married to her. I'm not sure I see much of a difference in being truly married and married in a game. Well, besides marital relations I suppose."

Peter balked. "I don't want any relations hanging around. No relations or cousins or aunts or uncles!"

"Not relations of a familial nature," said John, catching onto the confusion. "Marital relations; Sex."

"Sex," he repeated. Just saying the word sounded forbidden. He had a feeling he already knew something of it. The way Wendy wiggled against him in his bed, and the way his hips wanted to thrust forward when this happened. It must be what John was talking about. Here was his answer to the question plaguing him that morning.

"Yes. You don't know what it is?" asked John.

Peter nodded his head, "Of course I do!" not wanting to sound completely ignorant. "But why don't you explain it to me anyway, to see if it's the same sex that I know about."

John rolled his eyes a little, but began to talk about the birds and the bees, (literally, for that was where he'd learned about it; from text books about mating animals. But he had come to realize that the information transferred to humans easily enough.).

But just when he was getting to the part Peter was most anxious to hear about, the lost boys came bounding back in to the clearing, with sacks full of fruit, ready to be on their way again. _Was there no end to these infernal interruptions_? thought Peter.

Oh well, they would finish the discussion later. He was beyond famished and wanted to see Wendy again. The boys began marching on ahead of him, ready to be home. He trailed behind them a little, lost in his thoughts. Maybe he could chase the lost boys out of the house while the meat was cooking, and then he and Wendy…

John grabbed his arm. "Just so you know Peter, I love my sister, and feel that if anything is done to hurt her, as her brother, I would have to do something about it." They were brave words for John, and he had to muster up every ounce of bravado to say them but knew they must be said. He braced for Peter's inevitable reaction.

Peter normally would not have taken kindly to that sort of challenge, but based on the bonding they had just done through their conversation, and the empathy with which he was now learning not to ignore, he looked John square in the face and said resolutely, "I would never hurt her."

John looked back, proud of himself. "Thank you commander," and began to walk back to the hideout. Peter let out a deep breath and followed.

When they arrived, they began to call for Wendy.

"Wendy! Were home!"

"We're hungry!" cried Tootles and Michael.

"Mother, where are you?"

The fire in the hearth had burnt down to embers.

"She must be at the stream boys," said Peter. "I'll go get her, you start plucking those birds."

He left and sauntered down to the stream, whistling a little. When he reached the water's edge he looked around confused. There was a pot, left abandoned in the dust. He then noticed the footprints, and the scrapes and ruts in the earth from a struggle. Indians.

The Indians had Wendy. He crowed with annoyance. They were supposed to play this game later, days from now. Just like them to try to get the upper hand by starting it early. Well, no use now, he would crudely cook for the boys, and then they would set about a plan to rescue Wendy. This could be fun! Yes, they would eat, he would rescue Wendy, he would pull John aside to finish their conversation, and Wendy would sleep in his bed again that night. He smiled a little at the thought.

"Simple as that," he said.


	9. Chapter 9

Wendy awoke to darkness. There was the smell of smoke and rawhide, and her head throbbed deeply. What had happened? She remembered Peter, cooking, water… Tiger Lily! Her heart sank at the memory so deeply, she began to cry. She now realized she was still bound, propped up against the wooden pole in the center of a Tee Pee, her neck stiff from her head falling to her chest, and her head pounding from being dropped on the ground. All was dark after that.

Slowly, slowly, Wendy stopped crying and began to assess the situation. She now knew that Tiger Lily's feelings ran deeper for Peter than she knew, especially if she was willing to do this to her. But she had known her to be kind before, even if she had been fickle and impulsive sometimes. She must still be reasonable.

Maybe not though. Seeing Wendy and Peter together might have pushed Tiger Lily over the edge.

_Focus Wendy_, she thought. Her bindings weren't too tight. They rubbed horribly, but she thought maybe she could squeeze out of them. She labored at the ropes for a while to no avail however. Her eyes were focusing now in the dark, and she could see light coming in through the hole in the top of the tee pee. It was still day at least.

Suddenly the flap to the tent flipped open, and Tiger Lily stepped in. She stood there assessing Wendy for a moment, and then spoke.

"Wendy-bird, you will leave Neverland. My Braves will escort you to the edge of the island, and then you must fly away back to where you came from." She crossed her arms in front of her signifying the end of the conversation.

Wendy looked up at her kidnapper with anger, but also with a slight bit of relief. She at least knew now Tiger Lily was not planning on killing her. Maybe she could reason with her.

"Tiger Lily, why are you doing this? I need to see my brothers. They'll be worried sick and…"

"You will not see your brothers, or anyone else. You must leave as soon as possible."

"I know you're angry with me Tiger Lily, but you must understand. Peter and I never meant to hurt you…"

Wendy stopped as Tiger Lily turned on her with hatred in her eyes. "This is not JUST about Peter Pan!" she shouted. "You are ruining Neverland!"

Wendy's eyes widened in surprise, "What?"

Tiger Lily's eyes softened a little and took a deep breath. "I saw you in the water with Peter," she said quietly. "I knew he was there with you. I saw Hook and his men in the jungle, and I knew he must be on his way to where you were. I intended only to warn Peter, so I ran with deer's feet to the pool. I saw you there, his hand on your face…" Tiger Lily looked away, hurt in her eyes. "I had never felt such hate for two people. It was like a hive of bees stung my heart. I couldn't warn Peter. I wanted him to suffer." She turned to Wendy, "I wanted you to suffer."

Wendy never let her gaze fall. She would never be sorry for her moment with Peter in the pool.

"I watched you escape from Hook, and I vowed to never see Peter Pan again. Never play the games of children. Never feel love again." She stared at a corner of the tent, but her gaze seemed to be on something no one but she could see.

"Tiger Lily," Wendy interjected when she felt a relatively safe pause in her speech. "I understand how you feel. The jealousy of seeing someone you care for with another. That's how I felt about you at first." Tiger Lily looked at Wendy incredulously.

"No, it's true," she continued. "I was so upset the night you danced with him, and I thought you had kissed him. I cried all night."

Tiger Lily smiled at the thought of her being able to arouse the same jealousy in another, especially Wendy.

"But you can't let those feelings justify tearing me apart from my family! And I can't make Peter love you!"

"This is not just about Peter Pan! Neverland is changing because of you! You have bewitched Peter, and now this land is dying!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Haven't you noticed the colors of the island? They are changing. The leaves are browning, the flowers are beginning to wither."

"Those are called seasons; it's the natural order of the world, that has nothing to do with me…"

"Not this world! This world does not change. It has always been alive and lush. And what about yourself? Have you not noticed how you've changed since you were with Peter in the water?"

Wendy was about to tell her how preposterous she sounded, but something made her pause. Was she too wrapped up in Peter to notice? Notice how her night dress was infinitely tighter on her frame? Notice how her moods had gone from happy to sad to anger and frustration in an instant? She had always felt in control of herself, even as a child, but being with Peter had made her feel like her emotions would never be in her power to command again. She began to take stock of Tiger Lily now as well. Her face had thinned. Gone were the full round cheeks of youth, and in their place were high lovely cheekbones. How had she failed to see these things before?

She was remembering now Peter's strong jaw line. She only thought being with him made him handsomer every day. Now she knew he was _becoming_ handsomer every day.

"I can see by your eyes that you know what I speak is true," said Tiger Lily crossing her arms in front of herself again. She looked down at Wendy triumphantly.

Wendy began shaking in horror. Had she really put all of these things in motion when Peter touched her face in the pool? No, before that; it was her. She knew things had changed when she kissed Peter in the cave. She had forced her kiss on him, and in turn on Neverland. In a world that knew Peter Pan must never grow up, she had forced it upon him, and now adolescence was not creeping up on them, it was hunting them down full force!

Would leaving make it go away? Make everything stop changing; dying? She loved Neverland with every fiber of her being, this place that had sheltered her in her youth a little longer, and what had she done in return? Spit in its face.

Could she leave? Dare she? Everything she loved was here.

Just then the tee pee flap opened and one of the Braves entered and whispered in Tiger Lily's ear. Her face went from excitement at the news to sadness and then to fear.

She turned to Wendy. "Peter Pan is here," she said and left the tent abruptly leaving Wendy conflicted and sobbing.


	10. Chapter 10

Peter had tried to wrangle the boys to eat breakfast at their makeshift table like Wendy had always gotten them to do, but he was finding now without his make believe wife, he had no control over them when it came to manners. Not that he minded the noise, the running around, and the eating with their hands. He only felt he owed it to Wendy to keep her ritual while she was gone. He gave up when Curly stole a piece of Slightly's Never Sloth off of his plate and in retaliation, Slightly stuck a wet finger in Curly's ear, and the wrestling began. Peter threw his hands up, and leaned back in his chair to cheer on the rough housing.

When they had finally calmed down and worked off most of their energy, they huddled around a bare patch of earth outside to formulate their plan for rescuing Wendy.

"What if we sneak around the back of their campsite," offered Slightly. "And I can look under all the tents and then Curly can create a distraction, and Michael and Tootles can be the lookouts, and then…"

"Why do I always have to be the distraction, why can't I look under the tents for Wendy?" asked Curly.

"Because knowing you, you'd get captured by Indians and then we'd have to rescue you too!"

"Take that back!" and the wrestling resumed again, with boys taking sides and joining in on the attacks.

Peter flew in to separate them. Normally, he would have laughed at their behavior, but he was getting anxious to see Wendy again and put this business with the Indians behind him.

"Boys! Let's focus on your mother! John, what do you think?"

"Well," said John, straightening his spectacles. "I believe in this matter the direct approach is most suitable. They began the game early, maybe they were mistaken about the time and place. It would be best to confront them directly." John would never admit it to anyone, but he had suggested this only so that he could spend a lengthy amount of time in Tiger Lily's presence. Ever since he first saw her at the Pow Wow, he couldn't get her fearless eyes out of his mind.

"Maybe you're right John," said Peter.

"But that's no fun!" exclaimed Nibs. "What about our game?"

"This can be part of it!" cried Slightly. "Peter and John are the distraction!"

"That's not bad John. We can talk to the Chief, and the boys can look for Wendy! No matter what, we walk away with our prize." _And what a prize!_ thought Peter. He wanted so much to hold Wendy again. A few hours had seemed like days, even weeks.

"It's worth a try," said John. And off they went.

When they got to the village, the younger boys flanked left and right through the trees, around to the back of the encampment and Peter and John strode up through the middle, straight through to the Chief's tent.

They had garnered stares and looks and by the time they reached the center of the village, there was a large crowd around them.

The Chief was sitting in front of his home, dressed unceremoniously, and yet John had to marvel; he was still an imposing figure.

"Good morning great Chief," said Peter.

"Good morning Peter Pan. What brings you to my dwelling?"

"Sir we'd like Wendy back. Our game was supposed to start two days from now, and we weren't prepared for her kidnapping. We need her to come back and be our mother. Please Great Chief."

The Chief stared at the two boys in front of him, eyebrows raised. "Peter Pan, you have always been brave and young, and spoken to me like a leader of boys. And now you come to me with a man's voice, in a manner befitting a great leader of men. I am impressed by the respect you show me with your words, but I regret that we do not have your Wendy-Bird. We would not start the game before its proper time, and so you must be mistaken."

Peter and John looked at each other in surprise.

"But sir," John interjected, and flinched a little when the Chief gazed directly at him, but took a deep breath and continued. "The evidence is irrefutable at the scene of the crime; it was definitely a kidnapping by your men."

The Chief stood, and crossed his arms in front of him.

"Are you saying that I do not know my own people? I would know if they had taken your mother. Your Wendy-Bird is not here. Now go, look for her among the Pirates. I will hear no more of these accusations."

Peter was confused. This had never been part of their games before, lying bold faced. He only hoped that the lost boys were having more luck finding Wendy than he was having negotiating.

Just then, Tiger Lily came around the dwelling, and stood next to her father.

"Here is my daughter, Peter Pan. She will confirm what I have already told you." The Chief looked down at Tiger Lily, pride in his eyes, and Tiger Lily kept her eyes straight ahead, refusing to look at Peter.

"Daughter, tell Peter Pan we do not have his Wendy-Bird. He is questioning my honor."

Tiger Lily let her gaze wander slowly to Peter's face. He looked back at her, questioning her with his eyes. A week ago, she would have run to him, thrown her arms around his neck and asked him about his adventures. Now her demeanor was cold, and she looked at him with contempt.

"Let me talk with Peter alone, Great Father. I will convince him," she said. Her father looked down on her and smiled.

"Very well."

Tiger Lily came forward and took Peter's hand and began to lead him into the Chief's dwelling.

"May I accompany you?" asked John stepping after Peter.

Tiger Lily turned and narrowed her eyes at John as if seeing him for the first time. John's heart skipped a beat at the beauty in her face, and the shine of the sun on her hair that made her skin glow. She turned back around and Peter looked behind him with a shrug, and left John to push dirt around with his feet outside under the scrutiny of the Chief and the other inhabitants of the village.

"Tiger Lily, what's going on, do you have Wendy? Where is she? Why are you acting so strange…" He didn't have time to finish his sentence because Tiger Lily had stepped forward, and planted a kiss on his mouth.


	11. Chapter 11

I know! That darn Tiger Lily! The nerve. The juices are flowing now, I'm on a roll! Almost done with chapter 12, but here's chapter 11 to tide you over :) Enjoy!

...

Peter took Tiger Lily's shoulders in his hands and pushed her away breaking the kiss, holding her at arms length.

"What are you doing?!" he asked, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

"Doing what I never had the courage to do before," she said, and wriggled free of his grasp and wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him again, more fervently.

Peter yelped, and flew up into the air out of reach of Tiger Lily's embrace, holding his arms in front of him.

"Tiger Lily, what has gotten into you? You're acting like, like…"

"A woman?" she finished.

"Well… yes!"

"I am a woman Peter. And you are a man. Now come down here and behave like one," she said, hands on her hips.

Peter looked at her and didn't move.

"I will not kiss you again," she said tapping her foot.

Peter reluctantly floated back down to earth, careful to stay a few feet away out of reach.

"I'm not a man," he said quietly, forgetting the conversation he'd had with John, only that morning.

"Haven't you noticed the changes Peter? The changes in yourself? Look! Your muscles are bigger," she said gesturing to his arms. Peter looked at his biceps perplexed, and then smiled at them. They were larger, and they looked nice.

"You are taller." Peter looked around the room. His head did come up higher than the last time he'd been there.

"And your voice is the voice of a man." Peter made a little noise in his throat to test the idea, and found it was true.

"You have hair on your chest," she whispered. Peter hadn't noticed himself backed into the corner of the dwelling until it was too late, and Tiger Lily had placed her hand on his chest, running her fingers down the soft fine hairs that had sprung up there. Goosebumps rose on his skin, and his heart was thundering in his ribcage, as she looked up at him from under her eyelashes.

"Tell me that Wendy never made you feel this way," she said closing her eyes and leaning closer.

"Yes!" he cried. Tiger Lily smiled and sped her descent on his mouth. "I mean yes, she does," he said quickly.

Tiger Lily's eyes snapped open. She frowned as tears sprung to her eyes, and she gave Peter a shove into the wall and turned away.

Peter breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed his body as the goose bumps faded away. But he saw Tiger Lily's slumped shoulders, and walked up behind her. No matter how crazy she was acting, she was still one of his closest friends. He put his hands on her arms, but she shrugged them off violently.

"Leave, I hate you Peter Pan!" she cried.

"Tiger Lily…"

"GO!" she screamed turning to face him.

Normally he would have fled. An angry Tiger Lily was not to be reckoned with. But he'd had enough today. The girl he wanted was kidnapped, he had had to deal with unruly children all morning, had come to life changing epiphany and an embarrassing emotional breakdown in front of another person, and now he had been assaulted by a friend and then brushed aside. He was not going to back down, not now.

"Tiger Lily!" he shouted back grabbing her shoulders. "Tell me where Wendy is! I know you know, and I will rip this place apart if that's what it takes to find her!"

Tiger Lily's eyes were wide with shock, and as Peter finished his rant, and stared into hers intently, she felt all the emotion from the past few days overwhelming her. She burst into tears, and covered her face with her hands.

Peter felt overwhelmed himself. What were these women doing to him? "Please stop crying Tiger Lily, please. I can't take it!" He'd never seen her cry before. She was a warrior, "Warriors never cry," she'd told him once after being wounded with a knife on a Pirate raid. She'd not shed a tear then, though he could tell the pain was terrible, and now she was blubbering red faced in front of him and there was no wound on the surface to be found.

She didn't stop for a while either, leaving Peter completely out of his element as to what to do. Finally she sniffed a few times, and very quietly asked, "Would you do that for me?"

"What?" asked Peter wrinkling his nose.

"Would you do that for me? Come looking for me? Tear a village apart if I was kidnapped?" Peter shook his head. _Females_, he thought. Didn't she know how he felt about her? She was his best friend, closer than a sister.

"Of course I would," he said. She sniffed again, and looked up into his face.

"Really?" she asked quietly.

"Yes. You are the bravest, most courageous girl I know. And you've been truer to me than a brother."

"Thank you Peter!" she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck. He embraced her back, feeling the sisterly affection from her again, the way it used to be. But he still needed to know where Wendy was!

He pulled out of her arms, and looked at her seriously. "Tiger Lily, I need to find Wendy. I know you know something. Please help me, please!"

Tiger Lily gazed up at him, and it was much higher than she usually looked, for he really had been growing. "I can't tell you Peter," she said. "I can't."

Peter was getting angry now. "Why? What have you done Tiger Lily?"

She shifted her eyes back and forth from his face to the door. "She's endangering us all! The whole island! I need to send her back where she belongs! Back to Eng-gland."

He stared at her, trying to comprehend what she was talking about.

He gave her a little shake. "What are you saying? Endangering us? How? Show me where she is!"

Just then a commotion from outside made it's way to their ears. Tiger Lily ran out glad to be free of Peter's scrutiny and Peter followed hoping that the noise meant Wendy. He ran out to see, just as he heard Slightly's voice cry, "We found her Peter!"


	12. Chapter 12

Peter ran out to a sight he was not expecting, and multiple things were happening at once. The lost boys were dog piled on top of one another, hands bound; Tiger Lily looked wide eyed and terrified; her father, completely confused. The noise of the village was so loud no one could hear each other over another. And there in the middle, on her knees with her hands still tied back, was Wendy.

She was filthy with dirt, hair tangled and matted, her eyes swollen from crying and the wound on her shoulder had opened up again, and was seeping blood slowly. She felt ashamed and exhausted. To Peter though, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Wendy! Oh Wendy!" he cried, running to her. He knelt down pulled out his knife and cut her loose. He raised her up by her arms, and hugged her close. Her arms hung loose at her sides. He pulled away, and kissed her forehead, held her face between his hands and looked into her eyes. "Are you all right Wendy? Are you ok?" she nodded her head, and looked away.

Peter turned his angry gaze on Tiger Lily. "What have you done to her? Why would you do this to her?" he questioned coming toward her.

"No, Peter, you don't understand, she was fine when I had left her…"

"When you left her? Where?" Peter had grabbed her shoulders again now.

The Chief stepped in and separated them in one easy motion. "Peter Pan, your emotions run away with you. Be still, I will get to the bottom of this." Peter was about to explode with rage. _Emotions? He would show them emotions_. But he thought better of it and ran back to where Wendy was kneeling. Michael was in her arms now. He had been crying so loud with worry over Wendy that one of the Indian wives had cut him loose.

Peter wrapped a protective arm around both of them and stared up at Tiger Lily and the Chief.

The Chief turned to Tiger Lily. "Daughter, why? Why have you done this terrible thing?"

Tiger Lily was sniffling again. "I had to, for all our sakes. I didn't hurt her. I don't know how she came to bleed." She wiped her eyes. "You must believe me. What I did, I did for all of us."

"What do you mean Daughter?"

"The changes! Neverland is changing! Look around you father! I am not the youthful daughter you knew only days ago."

The Chief stepped back and studied her a moment. "I know," he said. "I don't understand it, but what has it to do with this Wendy-Bird."

"It's her. She is the one who is changing Neverland."

There was an upheaval now, as all eyes went to where Wendy sat in the dust. Peter squeezed her arm and kissed her hair. "It's all right Wendy," he whispered. She had begun to shake.

"Explain yourself Tiger Lily," said the Chief.

Tiger Lily began the story again of how she had seen Peter and Wendy together alone in the pool, what had happened and how things had started changing from that point on. How she had felt emotions she had never felt before and how her body had begun to transform. It was true, the leaves on the trees were turning and no one could rationally explain the growth of the children in front of them.

"That is why I have kidnapped her; that is why I was sending her back. Neverland is dying, because she made us grow up," said Tiger Lily pointing an accusing finger at Wendy. Wendy hung her head in shame. Now everyone knew.

Peter was taken aback. It made sense, but he also knew that he never wanted the way he felt about Wendy to go away. He knew that those feelings would not leave now, whether she was here with him, or God forbid, she was far away.

The Chief stood contemplative for a while. "What you speak may be the truth, but it may not be. We have come upon occurrences like this before, long ago before you were born; before Peter Pan made these lands his home. Only the fairies can tell us for sure, but we have not seen them for many weeks." He turned his gaze to Peter. "Where is Tinkerbell? "

"I don't know," said Peter, shaking his head. "I haven't seen her since I banished her for almost killing Wendy."

"There is more to this story than meets the eye. Go, take your Wendy-Bird back to your home and care for her. I will deal with Tiger Lily, and the ones who were forceful with her and your men."

The lost boys were cut loose and they quickly regaled Peter with the events leading up to their capture. Curly had indeed been the one to reveal the boys by a loud cry when they had discovered the right tee pee. Men had heard them and rushed in and amidst the commotion had roughly handled all involved including Wendy, thinking they were up to mischief. Michael held onto Wendy's hand. "Were you scared Wendy?" he asked in his small voice.

"A little Michael," she said, not wanting to frighten him, but feeling too exhausted to lie. Michael began to tear up again. "But everything will be all right." _Apparently not too exhausted to lie_. She hugged him, and stared at Peter's strong form organizing the boys in the growing dusk. She felt her heart break in two. She would miss him more than anything in the whole world.

John had been thrown in the pile with the other boys when the men who had found them dragged the group kicking and screaming to the center of the village. He was crushed on the bottom, but not too badly to hear everything that Tiger Lily had said. In a few short minutes his admiration for the brave Indian Princess had grown to resentment, and he hardened his heart to her for the sake of his sister.

He felt so empowered by this that he dusted himself off, and marched straight up to her as she was being led by her father into his dwelling.

He tapped her on the shoulder and she spun around in surprise. John was still struck by her eyes; brown eyes that danced with light up close. But he was determined to not be distracted and for her to hear his disdain on behalf of Wendy.

"I once thought you the very soul of courage and magnificence. Now I know you're nothing but a cowardly girl, and I'm sorry I ever thought you were beautiful."

Astonished, Tiger Lily opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. John turned on his heel, strode toward his new makeshift family, picked up Michael and walked with the group out of the village.


	13. Chapter 13

Once Peter, the lost boys, Michael, John and Wendy were well into the woods, Peter scooped Wendy up into his arms. "John, take the boys back to the hideout, I'm going to fly her back to fix her shoulder." And just like that they were gone, up into the air.

"You heard him men," said John. "Onward; and if we happen to find some food along the way, all the better!" They marched along at a slow clip. John's words sounded nice and they would have liked to have their spirits rallied, but they felt as if they had just awakened from a bad dream. There was no game afoot, and if there had been, they had lost horribly. The weight of the world seemed to be crushing down on them.

"What was Tiger Lily talking about?" asked Nibs.

John sighed. "I don't know. In London I would have told you superstitious nonsense, but our very presence in Neverland has convinced me otherwise." He shook his head. "But whatever it is, the Chief seems to know something about it, and I think I'd like to go back and find out what he's thinking."

"But not right now, right John?" asked Michael pulling on his nightshirt.

"No, not right now. Now, lets find some food and go home."

They marched on, looking in the bushes for fruit but they had little luck. Most of the produce they found had fallen to the earth and was beginning to rot. "Oh dear," thought John.

Peter felt he needed no words, with Wendy safe in his arms. Holding her, feeling her body move under his hands as he flew her home was indescribable. Her arms were around his neck, and her head had lolled onto his shoulder. She was safe, she was his. But why was she still trembling? He couldn't imagine how scared she must have been, and his anger began to bubble up inside him again. He would get her home, fix her wound, put her to bed, and hold her through the night. He could wait to finish kissing her later, right now, she needed a mother. He would try to be qualified.

When they alighted in front of the hideout entrance, he refused to set her on the ground, carrying her inside.

"You can put me down now Peter," she whispered. It sent chills up his spine to hear his name whispered on her lips.

"I'll be the judge of that," he said. He bent forward, and grabbed some herbs with his teeth and somehow picked up a rag, all while holding Wendy securely. He brought her into his room and laid her on his bed. He kissed her cheek and went to the basin of water she put in his room to help remind him to wash, and dipped the rag in the water. He turned back to her, and saw that she was crying.

"I know it hurts, it looks deeper than before. I think it tore." He sat next to her, lifted her up a little, and began to carefully clean the blood from her arm. She flinched at the coldness of the water, but relaxed into Peter's ministrations. He blew on her arm, sending goose bumps racing down her flesh.

"Peter, don't," she sniffed. "I'm alright."

"Don't? I want to take care of you Wendy."

Wendy's heart was positively aching inside. She knew what she must do to protect the ones she loved. But would she be able to do it before she died inside? Right here in Peter's hands?

He crushed the herbs in his fingers and squeezed some water from the rag on them. Carefully, he put them against the wound. She hissed through her teeth, but felt the Neverland herbs start to work to relieve the stinging. "Thank you Peter," she said.

"Wendy," he whispered, moving a strand of hair from her face. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I'm so sorry." He kissed her palm and held it to his face.

"It's alright Peter," she said. She didn't have the strength to pull her hand away. She didn't want to.

"It's my fault that this happened. If I hadn't been so selfish, if I hadn't wanted you so badly…" he trailed off.

"No, Peter, this is my fault. Didn't you hear Tiger Lily? All of this… It's me. I forced my kiss on you. I'm forcing you to grow up!" She'd said too much already. He couldn't know she was going to leave, he might try to stop her, and she knew if he tried he would succeed. How funny that it had only been twenty four hours since she had felt pure bliss in Peter's arms in this very bed. Now it was becoming a nightmare.

"I don't care Wendy, I don't care if it is," he said making her look in his eyes. "I don't care if you're forcing me to grow up. I want to, I want to," and he captured her mouth with his own, tasting her lips, her tongue, angling his head to fit with hers. She kissed him back. How could she not? He was so sweet, it was like honey. They fit together so well she thought. Slowly they were falling back onto the bed. Wendy didn't know how it was happening, it was the natural flow of being together. They lay there for a while, hands exploring, kissing and loving.

_No!_ thought Wendy, _I have to stop this, I must._ She pulled away bit by torturous bit. "Peter, I want to, but I'm so tired, I'm so tired…"

Peter's eyes slowly came back into focus, and he had to take several deep breaths. He looked questioningly into Wendy's eyes. She was guarding herself against him and he didn't know why. Was he doing something wrong? She was the one to first initiate their kiss, and now he was the one wanting to move forward. He was confused but he was scared to push her. She might never want to let him explore her again.

"Alright, alright." He sat up and rubbed his face with his hands. Leaving this moment was incredibly difficult. "I'll let you rest. Do you want me to stay with you…"

"No! No, I think I should just sleep."

Peter, hurt, got up slowly. "I'll sleep in your old room Wendy. I'll tell the lost boys not to bother you," he said over his shoulder. He pushed past his door and was gone.

If Peter had only seen the agony in Wendy's face as soon as he was gone, he would never have left. "It's the only way" whispered Wendy, and sobbed, curling in on herself.


	14. Chapter 14

Wendy lay in the dark, listening to the muted voices of the lost boys outside Peter's room until they stopped completely. But she didn't get up until she heard the boys' light snoring. She rolled quietly out of Peter's bed and tiptoed past through the main room, up the stairs to the entrance, and slipped silently outside in the brusque night air. The chill was heavy, and she shivered cursing herself for not bringing anything for cold weather. Of course she hadn't, Peter said it was always warm in Neverland.

She wrapped her arms around herself, and made her slow trek toward the place where they had landed first: her house that the boys had made for her.

Thinking of them made her face contort with despair and her heart sink. Oh she would miss them. She hoped once she left that they would stop growing up again, and her brothers would stay here, young forever. The thought made her smile a little. Their youth and their optimism would be preserved here for all eternity. It's what they deserved.

She began to shiver violently. Maybe she should turn back. Did Peter mean what he said? Did he really want to grow up? Could it work? Her mind began to work in overtime. What if that was the answer? Peter could come with her back to London, and they could build a life together, and… No. She'd already thought this out in her head. Peter belonged here. This was his home, and she had perverted it. Her selfish reasons for wanting Peter with her did not stand up to the pledge he had made to be a little boy always and never grow up. And what would happen to Neverland if she stole Peter away? It would cease to exist and it would be her fault. There would be a shadow over their lives, and he would grow to resent her.

She reached the house, and went inside. She sank to the ground, and began to dig with her fingers until she found what she had left there. The thing she couldn't bear to leave behind. In her hand she held a small silver thimble. She clutched it to her heart, for a while remembering the moment she had given it to Peter. The ache in her chest grew and she stood up knowing this was the last time she would see Neverland.

She stood up slowly and walked outside. She closed her eyes for a moment, held her breath and jumped in the air, ready for flight to take her back home. But nothing happened.

She jumped again, and fell back to the earth with a thud. What was happening? Why couldn't she fly? She tried again and again, feeling all happiness drift away. Happiness! That was it! Her Happy Thought! Wendy closed her eyes. She must try to get past the broken heart in her chest. She started to clear her mind… her thimble. Her kiss. Hers and Peter's. She was never happier. She thought of the first time she kissed him, that perfect mix of fear, excitement and happiness. Wendy leapt into the air again… and came crashing back to earth. "BLAST!" she said.

"A happy thought won't help you my dear, you're out of fairy dust," said a voice in the darkness. Wendy jerked with fright at the voice.

"Hook," Wendy whispered and stood quickly.

"Captain Hook to you, dear sweet Wendy. Might I ask what you're doing out here in the middle of nowhere?" he asked silkily, coming out of the shadows, his hook gleaming in the moonlight.

"I could ask you the same question, Captain," said Wendy, voice quavering.

"I merely wanted to return something of yours," he said, coming toward her. Wendy backed up several paces, and Hook stopped. "I don't wish to startle you my dear, here is your dagger." And he held out the knife Peter had given her that she had dropped in the water. He offered it, hilt first blade pointing at himself.

"What do you want in return Hook?" she asked, wary of her surroundings. She could run, but she might run into the arms of one of Hook's crew waiting in the trees.

Hook threw his head back and cackled. "Well what an interesting question my dear. You see there is something I want in return." His eyes raked over her body, and Wendy shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself at the intimacy of his gaze.

"What is that?" she breathed.

"I want to know how you did it."

"Did what?"

"Changed Peter into a man. I have to admit, it's working to my advantage. He's so wrapped up in the distractions a man starts to face, that he's forgetting himself. Losing touch with this place, this wonderful place…" he said looking around. Wendy felt her heart sink at Hooks confirmation of what she knew to be true.

"I've been able to get quite a few things done while he's not been his usual vigilant self."

"What do you mean?"

"The reason I'm here, on this god forsaken island on this god forsaken star. To find…" he trailed off frowning, then smiled a manipulative smile and continued. "No need to trouble yourself with that my dear, I forget where I am. I'd just like to know how you were able to force Peter to grow up."

"What are you looking for?" she asked.

Hook's eyes narrowed. "Like I said, no need to trouble yourself with these things. Your blade?" he said holding it out to her. Suddenly Hook's face contorted in a strange grimace and his eyes rolled back in his head. It was a frightening thing to behold, and yet Wendy felt bizarre, like her head was swimming and her knees wanted to buckle. The moment passed as quickly as it came and she gasped as Captain Hook dropped to the ground with a loud thud.

Standing behind him was Tiger Lily.

To Wendy this wasn't much better than Hook.

"Hello Wendy-Bird," she said sheepishly. She was holding what looked like a water skin.

"Tiger Lily, what… what just happened?"

"I… I followed you." Wendy shrank back. "Only to ask forgiveness Wendy," Tiger Lily finished quickly.

Wendy just stared blank faced. "How can I?" asked Wendy. "How can I trust you?"

"Well, I just defeated your enemy for you," she gestured to Hook's lifeless form on the ground. "It will only last for a few more minutes before he wakes up and so we must be gone from this place."

Wendy didn't want to go with Tiger Lily, but she didn't want to stay to witness Hook's coming to, either. She reluctantly followed Tiger Lily into the forest.

They were silent for a long time, Tiger Lily weaving through the trees noiseless over the foliage, while Wendy felt loud and awkward, snapping every branch she came in contact with.

Finally they came to a clearing and stopped in front of a steaming pond of water. The hot springs.

"Here, Wendy is where you will bathe, and I will tell you how I came upon you tonight"

Wendy looked at Tiger Lily for a moment, unwilling to trust her still.

"I am trying to make amends Wendy, I promise you, step into the water and wash," said Tiger Lily, handing her a small animal skin vial. "No harm will come to you."

Wendy reluctantly took the vial and undid the chording. Inside was a fragrant mixture of honey, flowers and crushed nuts. Wendy looked up at her questioningly. Tiger Lily pantomimed rubbing it on her arms. "It will remove the filth," she said.

"Alright," said Wendy. It sounded nice to be able to wash finally, and she was so cold and miserable, the water looked wonderful.

Tiger Lily turned around. "Undress Wendy-Bird, I will not look."

Wendy stripped out of her now tattering nightdress, soiled and almost useless, and slowly climbed into the steaming water. She opened the vial, and lavishly began to rub the mixture on her limbs, her face, her body. Peace began to fill her soul again, and her nerves began to relax.

Tiger Lily circled around again, and came to sit on a rock next to the springs. She took her moccasins off, and let her feet soak in the water.

"I am sorry Wendy," she said quietly. Wendy looked at her, feeling she needed more than an apology.

"I will tell you what happened. Your brother said things to me tonight, things that cut deeply. I realized I acted out of jealousy, and not just concern for my beloved island."

Wendy nodded.

"I thought about his words all afternoon, and so I made my way to Peter's house to express my regret, and I saw you leave the hideout. I followed you to ask forgiveness from you first, but also out of curiosity. Then I saw Hook and some Pirates in the forest. I would not fail you this time as I had when I saw you and Peter together. I ran back to some supplies that we store around the island for urgent situations, and I took this." She held the water skin out for Wendy to look at.

"It contains a smoke made from herbs on the island. It gives sleep to whoever smells it when it is released. I used it on the pirates waiting in the bushes, and then on Hook."

That explained the drowsiness Wendy felt when Hook fell over in front of her.

"Why didn't you fall over?" asked Wendy.

"We have made ourselves immune to its affects," said Tiger Lily. She sighed deeply. "Please forgive me Wendy. What I did was handled wrongly. I should have made inquiries first. I do not believe you to be full of evil and malintent. If it is because of you that this place is changing, you did not know. It gives me no right to do what I did."

Wendy felt her anger ebb away at each of Tiger Lily's words. It was healing to be able to hear herself spoken of in innocence.

"I do, Tiger Lily. I forgive you."

Tiger Lily smiled and breathed out. "Thank you Wendy. I give my blessing to you and Peter. I don't know why I behaved that way with him. I was afraid to lose him, he means so much to me. But I know now the affection I have for him is like a sister to a brother. He would not accept my kiss."

Wendy's eyebrows shot up. _Kiss? What kiss?_

"He refused me, he spoke only of you," she explained quickly.

Wendy relaxed a little, but she hated the thought of Tiger Lily's lips on her Peters. Her Peter. She closed her eyes at the thought.

"Tiger Lily," she said. "I was leaving tonight. I know what you said is true, it is my fault. I was going to leave so that the changes in Neverland would cease. That's what I was doing tonight."

Tiger Lily looked at her in surprise. "You would do that for us? Leave behind your brothers and the ones you love?"

Wendy nodded. "It's the only way."

Tiger Lily jumped to her feet. "I know I can trust you now Wendy. That is the other thing I came to tell you! My father would like to have a meeting with you and Peter and John. He wished me to tell you that he does not believe its any human's fault that these changes are occurring."

Wendy felt her heart leap in her chest! Not her fault? Those were the sweetest words she'd ever heard. That meant her and Peter… Oh Peter! The things she said to him that night, stopping their kiss, all meaningless. She had hurt him for no reason. _Please forgive me Peter!_

"What are we waiting for?" exclaimed Wendy, her arms splashing in the water. _Oh,_ she thought, _her…_

Tiger Lily pulled out a sleeveless dress made of soft brown leather from her bag. "Here Wendy, take this. Throw this to the bushes," she said, picking up Wendy's night dress with a stick disdainfully.

Wendy pulled the leather dress over her head, the fabric sticking to her wet frame, and grabbed her filthy garment off the stick. "I want to keep it… for sentimental reasons."

Tiger Lily raised her eyes to the sky and dropped her stick with a shrug. "It's yours to do with what you wish," she said.

They made their way back to the hideout, Wendy's heart happily pounding away, anxious to see her boys again.

Unbeknownst to them, a pair of miniscule eyes watched them scrupulously. The eyes blinked and turned with a noise like the sound of tiny tinkling bells.


	15. Chapter 15

Peter awoke abruptly from a nightmare. He had dreamed that Hook had Wendy. She was screaming his name, but when he went to find her she vanished like smoke. He leapt out of her bed, longing to see her. Even if she was mad at him, he would risk it to see her face.

He peered into his room, and upon realizing she was not there, flung back the bearskin. "Wendy!" he cried. He ran to the bed, flinging covers and furs off in a feeble attempt to find her. She was not there.

He ran through the hideout calling her name, waking the lost boys in the process.

Who had taken her? What did they want now? All these things raced through his mind. Tiger Lily must still want to make her leave. Leave. He stopped in his tracks, as the other boys began calling out Wendy's name.

Leave. She was acting so strangely. _Oh no!_ SHE had left. It all made sense. She had left to save them. It was just what his Wendy would do. He wouldn't let her though. He needed her. He grabbed a blanket from the floor as the upheaval had caused the boys to fling things everywhere, looking under their beds, behind tables and lamps crying "Mother, where are you!"

He turned to the lost boys. "Men, I think your mother has gone to leave Neverland," he said. The boys began to look around confused, and Michael began to cry. Peter knelt on the ground in front of him.

"It's all right Michael, I think we've been away from Tinkerbell long enough that she doesn't have any fairy dust left. She's still on the island and I'll find her," said Peter, and accepted the hug that Michael threw at him. "Men, this is what has to happen. Slightly you stay here and look after Michael and Tootles, you others, come with me. We'll spread out and search the island. Each one of you take a blanket with you. Its cold and she won't have one with her I'm sure."

They all grabbed furs and ran up the stairs out of the hideout, into the chill night air. Peter gave them some instructions and they ran off to search the island as Peter flew into the atmosphere, guessing where she might be, and soared toward the house they had made for her.

Tiger Lily and Wendy were almost to the hideout when Peter discovered her missing, but the two passed each other unbeknownst..

When the two girls finally arrived, Wendy ran down the stairs moments after the boys had left. "Peter! Boys, I'm back!"

"Wendy!" cried Michael, and ran into her open arms, and held onto her tightly. She moved to put him down, but he held on, refusing to let her go. She shrugged and smiled, and picked him up instead, relishing the affection from his small frame. Tootles felt compelled to join in and wrapped himself around her leg.

Slightly stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed in front of him. He stared at Wendy, covered in clinging children, and Tiger Lily who had come in quietly to stand somewhat behind Wendy.

"What is she doing here Wendy?" he asked.

"It's all right Slightly, Tiger Lily has apologized. I believe her." Wendy looked behind her at the uncomfortable princess and smiled. "In fact, she helped me back."

Slightly narrowed his eyes at her, and began to circle Tiger Lily slowly. "Really?" he asked, sizing her up and down.

"Really Slightly, it's true," said Wendy giggling at his serious face.

He broke out in a wide grin. "Welcome back, you old princess!" he said, squeezing her in a tight hug. Tiger Lily shot Wendy a look for help, but Wendy laughed, as her predicament wasn't much better, smothered by tiny children.

"Slightly, where's Peter? Where are the other boys?"

"Out looking for you," said Slightly, releasing Tiger Lily after she patted him on the head.

"Oh dear," said Wendy, still holding Michael. She felt ashamed. Poor boys out in the cold looking for her, that was her fault too. Could she have a moment where something wasn't her fault?

"Don't worry Wendy, once they see the tracks you made, they'll be back," said Slightly. "You were never good at traipsing through the woods unnoticed!" he chuckled heartily at his joke.

Wendy rolled her eyes. "I hope so," she said.

Peter had indeed tracked Wendy's whereabouts to the hot springs. He had flown to the house, and when he saw that Wendy was not there he cursed aloud. A feather blew to his feet, and he bent down to pick it up. _Tiger Lily._

He clenched his fists. What more could she do?! He would never let Wendy out of his sight again, if that's what it took. He would find her, and deal with Tiger Lily like he should have before.

He looked around now for any sign of trace marks made by the pair. He bent down in the dark to look carefully at the ground, and saw the scuffling made by hasty feet, and followed best he could from the clearing to the woods. From there it was easy to trail the broken branches he knew must be made by Wendy.

In spite of the anger he was feeling at the situation he had to smile. Wendy was beautiful and graceful at the best of times, but not necessarily at hiking over underbrush.

He had followed the signs to the hot springs but now he was confused. There by the rocks lay the little vial Tiger Lily had given to Wendy.

He smelled it, and recognized the scent as one he smelled on Tiger Lily. He was positive she used it for bathing. Had they stopped and bathed? Why on earth would they do that? He could smell the lingering fragrance now, the Never flowers used were so heady and pungent. He began to follow the scent. It was leading him back… to the hideout! "For goodness sakes!" he cried aloud. Peter flew up into the air, and sped home.

John, Curly and Nibs entered the hideout and came down the stairs wearily. They trusted Peter to find Wendy, and they were too exhausted to continue. They came down into the lower main room.

"Any news from Pet..." John stopped in his tracks. "Wendy!" He ran to his sister and embraced her, as she beamed at him, then held her arms so he could give her a talking to. "What was this preposterous scheme of yours? Leaving without saying goodbye? Leaving without us? Honestly Wendy, you're such an addlepated girl some…" he trailed off when he noticed Tiger Lily in the corner, shyly staring at him.

"What is she doing here?" he asked icily.

"It's alright John, she's made her peace with me. She apologized for kidnapping me and I've forgiven her," said Wendy.

"What?" he asked surprised.

"She helped me find my way home, and knocked Hook out when he tried to corner me."

He gawked at her confused. "You have some explaining to do Wendy," he said. He turned to Tiger Lily though with grateful eyes. "Thank you Tiger Lily."

She smiled at him, and nodded her head.

Just then, Peter burst through into the Hideout. "Where is she, where are they!" he cried, and stopped when he saw the two girls standing together. He noticed two things. One that Wendy was safe, and two that she had never looked more beautiful as she smiled a radiant smile just for him. Gone was the dirt and grime from her face and arms, gone was the filthy blue night dress, and in it's place was a soft leather one that hung low enough to frame the assets she had come into and compliment her hair to look like honey.

He ran to her and held her close, smashing his lips against hers, determined to never let her go again. She wrapped her arms around his strong neck, and buried her hands in his hair, knowing herself forgiven for deceiving him.

He had never kissed her in front of the lost boys, and their reaction was less than accommodating. A chorus of "EW!" and gagging noises arose, the boys turning away embarrassed. Only when John cleared his throat did Peter come to, and pull away from Wendy's mouth with a smacking noise.

"Peter," said John. "Tiger Lily has brought Wendy home, and saved her from Hook."

Peter looked at Tiger Lily in astonishment, arm still around Wendy. "You did? Why?"

Tiger Lily took a deep breath. "I've come to apologize, Peter. I know what I did was wrong, and I'm sorry." She told her story again, about John's words, what happened with Hook, and about the pow wow her father requested. They were most likely not to blame for the changing in Neverland, and Peter felt his anger give way to a happy exhaustion. This may not have been the most adventurous day they'd ever had, but it was the most emotional.

"Thank you Tiger Lily. You don't know how grateful I am," he wrapped the Indian Princess in a tight hug. Tiger Lily sighed. It was good to know she wasn't forgotten by Peter. It was especially good to know that it wasn't the end of their friendship.

They agreed to meet at the Indian village the next morning to convene with the Chief. Morning was fast approaching though, and Wendy suggested they all rest. The boys began climbing into bed as Wendy and Peter tucked them in, and Tiger Lily began climbing the stairs to walk home.

"Tiger Lily, why don't you stay here tonight? It's too late for you to walk home," suggested Wendy at the foot of the stairs.

"That is kind Wendy-Bird, but I prefer my own bed, and I would like to walk a little while." She began her ascent again, up the stairs.

"I'll walk her out," said John. He bounded up the steps behind her and out the door.

"Tiger Lily, I want to thank you again, for saving Wendy. And I'm sorry I said those things to you last night, I was angry," he rambled. "And I want you to know that it took a tremendous amount of courage, and I'm excited to meet with your father tomorrow, I'd love to get to the bottom of what's been happening, the scientific ramifications are…" Tiger Lily leaned forward, and kissed him gently on the mouth.

"You talk too much," she said, and walked off, leaving John frozen, and speechless.


	16. Chapter 16

_Seriously encouraging reviews guys! Appreciate it so much!_

...

John came down the stairs quietly, a silly grin on his face.

"Good night ladies and gentleman!" he said and went promptly to bed, leaving Peter and Wendy to look questioningly at each other. Peter shrugged and slung Wendy over his shoulder, and carried her giggling into his room.

"Peter honestly, put me down!" she laughed. "The boys will hear us!"

"That lot?" he said. "They could sleep through anything!" but he obliged and set her on the ground. He drew her toward him, his hands around her waist. He became serious and looked into her eyes. "Wendy, please don't ever leave me out of your plans again."

She blushed furiously, and cast her gaze downward. Peter lifted her chin with his finger. "I want to be a part of them. You're everything to me now, and we should plan together. Isn't that part of growing up? I want to be a part of you."

Wendy inhaled deeply. She wasn't accustomed to thinking of herself as important to someone. She knew deep down that her brothers depended on her and that Peter cared for her, but to accept that he wanted have a deep relationship with her was beyond her comprehension. She had been a burden to him and everyone around her.

"Why?" she asked quietly, searching his eyes.

"Why?" he asked back. Did girls just not understand his intentions? Was he that obscure? Well, actually, the feeling was new to him too. He searched his mind, and struggled for an answer.

"You're kind," he said. Wendy looked away and blushed. "You care about everyone." He kissed her cheek softly and relished the smoothness of her skin under his lips. "You're fierce, when you have to be." He kissed her earlobe and she sighed as her heart started to race.

"You're a wonderful Mother," he kissed her chin. Wendy's eyes had rolled back, and she was breathing abnormally now.

"You believe in me," he said kissing her eyelids.

"You're beautiful," he kissed her nose.

"I love you," and with that, he kissed her deeply, trying to impart to her how much she meant to him. He would show her, he would make her believe it. Wendy's heart overflowed. He loved her! Peter Pan loved her!

"I love you," she whispered against his lips.

Peter swept her up into his arms, carrying her to his bed, mouths together and sat her down on the edge, and removed his shirt. Nothing was going to interrupt them this time, no lost boys, no yawning, and he would defy the dawn to come up before he was finished showing Wendy his love.

She crawled back and put her head on his pillow, and held her hand out to him. He took it with a smile and lay down over Wendy, and the kissing resumed.

He worked his kisses down her neck, and stopped at the neckline of her dress. He leaned on his side, and gently began to pull down the straps on her dress, kissing her shoulders. He placed his hand over her breast and they looked at each other in surprise at the emotions that arose.

Suddenly Peter remembered, he didn't quite know what came next. He never had finished his conversation with John, and he was feeling slightly overwhelmed. All of his emotions were threatening to consume him. This had happened so fast and there was something he was missing, something important that all of this kissing and feelings of love led up too. He wanted to show Wendy all of his love, not just half of it, but how to do it and how to do it without feeling out of control?

Wendy sensed his distress, and looked into his eyes. "What's wrong Peter?" she asked. Peter didn't want her to know he didn't know what he was doing, or that he was being overcome with so many emotions all at once, but there had been enough lying for today.

"I don't know how to have sex," he said. "And it's more than I thought."

Wendy nodded. "Yes."

"I want to show you everything I'm feeling," he said, running his hand down her face. "But I'm feeling so much, how can I give all of that to you? It might kill you. It's killing me."

"I feel the same," she said.

Peter felt relieved but frustrated, and harrumphed. "John knows how to do this, I should go ask him." Wendy's eyebrows shot up, stunned.

"He does?" she asked, feeling a little out of the loop.

"He told me he does. Would you like me to go ask him?" he asked, anxious to finish what they started.

"No!" said Wendy surprised by the ferocity in her voice. "I would be too humiliated. Ask him when I'm not around, please Peter."

"Well, what do we do now?" he asked searching her face. Wendy looked at him from under her eyelashes.

"Hold me," she said, pulling him down again to her mouth taking pleasure in the plumpness of his lips and the feel of them gliding over hers. They kissed for a while, and then drifted off, legs and arms entwined, and feeling somewhat satisfied for the moment.

Wendy awoke to her head on Peter's bare chest, her arm around his waist and his hands on her back. Her dress was hiked up high over her thighs and his pants pushed down low on his hips. She smiled and lifted her head to see his closed eyes fluttering with dreams, and hear his soft breathing making her rise and fall with him over his heart. She began to trace patterns with her fingers over his skin, hoping the touches would wake him up. He loved her. He had said those beautiful words to her last night. Nothing would take that away from her ever.

Peter inhaled a large waking breath, and looked down to see Wendy's bright eyes staring into his. "I love you," she said.

He smiled, and drew her up to him. "I love you Wendy Darling," he said kissing her lips as her hair fell over their faces. She began to move over him, but stopped when she felt something wet and sticky. She looked down between them and then up again at Peter. What mystery was this?

Peter shrugged somewhat embarrassed. "I think its part of sex," he said.

Wendy smiled. "Things to ask John about," she said rolling off of him. She walked to the basin of water in the corner and wiped the stuff off of her thighs, grateful none had gotten on her dress. Peter moved to get up too, but was captivated by Wendy's legs. They were indeed all the same color, a glorious soft hue, the color of cream. He was about to get up and kneel in front of her to run his hands over them, but he heard the lost boys stirring outside. "Blast!" he said, and rolled out of bed to wash too before they came barging in like the morning before. He felt some ground rules needed to be set up for them with this new relationship.

"I'll let you finish washing, and go find some food for the boys. Then we can walk to the village," she said

"Ok." He leaned down to press his lips to hers one more time and moved to encircle her waist again.

"Oh no, we'll be here all day if you do that!" Wendy pulled away, and smiled at him as she backed out of the room. Peter sighed and continued to cleanse himself.

...

_I had a lot of trouble with this chapter, I wanted it to be the consumating one, but I just couldn't make it sound right, and I didn't think it was fair to push it on them before they were ready :) Buuuut, it's pretty much an M rating, so I changed it._


	17. Chapter 17

The long trek to the Indian Village was an interesting one. The chief had asked to meet with Peter, John and Wendy, but the lost boys refused to be left behind. They seemed to be filled with unnatural energy for how little they had slept, and ran along, behind and in front of the three older children. But along with the joyfulness of being all together, there was a sort of melancholy. The underbrush and other plants were even more withered than the day before, and the ground seemed dry and barren.

When they reached the village, Tiger Lily was waiting outside her dwelling for them. John suddenly didn't know how to act. He'd hardly slept all night, thinking of seeing her in the morning. He'd imagined various scenarios that involved him being a brave heroic figure, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her to him and kissing her passionately, but seeing her now made him so nervous he couldn't seem to settle his eyes in one spot.

Tiger Lily looked at the group of them approaching, and noticed John's uncomfortable posture right away. Maybe she'd been too forward with him the night before. She didn't know what had come over her, but her heart felt warm when he paid her the attention she seemed to be craving more and more, and when his mouth began to move with the overflow of words, she had been mesmerized by them. He seemed to feel the same way, so she kissed him.

But maybe she was wrong; maybe he didn't feel the same way. She might have pushed him so far from thinking she was beautiful with her actions that he didn't think that anymore.

But they were now standing in front of her. "Welcome," she said, and Wendy came forward to hug her. Tiger Lily was surprised, but hugged her back. It was nice to receive an embrace from Wendy. It reminded her that she was forgiven, and to have another female her age even in proximity could be pleasant. Tiger Lily curved her head to the side to gesture at the lost boys already roughhousing in the dirt, and looked back at them with a questioning glance.

"Children," said Wendy with a shrug.

Tiger Lily rolled her eyes at them and opened the door, motioning them in. When the lost boys tried to enter behind them, she stood in front of the door. "This meeting is for the four of us only," she said crossing her arms in front of her.

"Ah come on!" protested Curly.

"That's my final word." But she held up her hand signaling for them to wait, and disappeared for a few moments. She returned holding a bag of dried meat, and some flat bread, and threw it to Slightly. The boys rejoiced, digging into it; forgetting momentarily about being left out.

Tiger Lily walked back inside to the three guests already sitting cross legged on the ground in front of the Chief. She came over to join them, seating herself next to John. She snuck a quick glance in his direction, and found him statuesque, his back stiff as a board. But she could feel the energy between them, it was so palpable she could almost reach out and touch it. She would find out for sure what he was thinking. She was a warrior, and warrior's never back down from a challenge. Her attention snapped forward, as her father began to speak.

"The magic on this island is an ancient one," he began. It was in place before you came here, it was in place before the pirates came here, it was in place before we came here. This island has an ancient name that means 'Place of the Fairies'. This is their home, it always was. We are here because of them; you are here because of them."

Peter thought back to the night that Tinkerbell had found him. She had saved him, brought him to Neverland, raised him and loved him. And he had cast her aside. He missed her.

"The fairies, from what I know of them," he continued, "live by their emotions, and only one feeling at a time. Mostly they are caught up in their love for us, for this land, and for their kind. Their emotions are tied to the island and to each other. When one is angry for a long period of time, they all begin to feel anger and the island is affected. Their love keeps us young."

Peter was astounded. Tinkerbell had never told him any of this.

"What is taking place now is rare, but it has happened before. Long ago, my great grandfather Soaring Eagle was a friend to the fairies. Soaring Eagle was a boy, and he had a bond with a fairy named Greenblossom. We still sing songs of the adventures they had together." Tiger Lily nodded, hearing the joyful songs in her head. "One day, an Indian maid caught his eye and he fell in love: my grandmother."

"But the fairies keep us from aging. You said he was a boy," said Wendy.

The chief looked at her with a wary eye. He was not accustomed to having his stories interrupted. "I did not say they keep us from aging. I said they keep us young. Our aging is slow in this place. Peter Pan," he turned to address him. "You were an infant when you came here to Neverland. And I remember when my own Tiger Lily was born. She has grown since then, but it has taken many, many years."

They were all bewildered at this news. Of course it made sense, but until recently, they had been children, and had not thought to question such things.

The Chief took a deep breath and resumed his story. "He had aged to the time when a boy begins to grow into manhood, just as humans do. Greenblossom grew so jealous, that she tried to kill my grandmother."

Wendy gasped, remembering the terror of being shot out of the sky because of Tinkerbell's jealousy.

"But fairies are not humans. They do not have the same understanding of right and wrong. They are wild creatures, slaves to their whims."

A look of disdain crossed Wendy's face at this. This revelation did not justify the fairies actions. She had almost died. She would not dismiss Tinkerbell's deeds so easily.

"Soaring Eagle told Greenblossom to never show her face again, and she disappeared to the Never Peak, where the lodging of the fairies is. The land began its slow change to one of winter and cold, beginning with Soaring Eagle. You see the ones closest to the fairies are the ones who begin the change the quickest. But then others soon follow." Oh, but Peter felt foolish. Of course this was all because of Tinkerbell.

"But sir, I've been growing as well," said John. "I barely met any fairies. How does that explain my growth?"

"That I cannot tell you. There is magic I do not fully understand at work, but when young people begin to feel love, do they not grow up faster? Perhaps that is your answer."

John began to blush furiously, and the Chief's eyes regarded him warily.

"That is why my people are so numerous. It was at that time we grew quickly and fell in love quickly. We had many children. But when Soaring Eagle was old, he went searching for the Place of the fairies on Never Peak. He went to seek answers, and to see Greenblossom once more."

"What happened?" asked Peter shifting uncomfortably on the ground.

"He never returned. But the seasons began to change once more to the green and living beauty we have lived in for so long. There are rumors of that place; that there is magic there that holds great power."

"What kind of power?" squeaked John, still uncomfortable with the scrutiny of the Chief's gaze.

"No one knows. Some say the chance to live forever. Some say the power to control living things. My people do not trouble ourselves with these matters. We wish to live peacefully and in harmony with living things. We do not seek these powers."

"Chief, how do we stop what's happening?" asked Peter. "Are you suggesting we climb Never Peak to the Fairies home?" Wendy clutched Peter's arm.

The Chief sighed. "I do not know if all of the story I told you is true, but it would seem that that is the only way to stop the winter. We have survived it before. But it must be your choice. I don't know if you will return from such a quest. Soaring Eagle was an old man, and death may have befallen him on the journey. I have no certain knowledge."

Wendy looked into Peter's eyes, willing him not to go. He looked conflicted and sad, and turned forward to the chief again.

"Go, discuss it amongst yourselves," said the Chief, rising from his seat. "I will hold up your decision." With that he left the dwelling.

Peter stood, and pulled Wendy up to him. He lingered on her face for a moment, and then pulled her lips to his in a searing kiss, that left her blissful and sad. She knew what he had decided. "Let's go home and plan," he whispered, forehead against hers.

She nodded slowly and took Peter's hand and followed him outside.

John stood up to leave as well, but Tiger Lily spoke.

"John," she said softly. His heart fluttered in his chest at the sound of his name on her lips.

"Yes?" he said turning. She walked toward him, her hips swinging a little, and his breath hitched in his throat.

"What my father said about your changes. Do they have to do with me?" she purred. She was in front of him now, staring up into his eyes. She stretched her hand up to place it over his heart. John swallowed hard.

"Y-y-yes, I believe so," he stammered.

Tiger Lily smiled. "So you still think me beautiful?" Her fingers danced over his shoulders to come around and hold them, pressing her body against his.

John nodded.

"So, you would like me to kiss you again?" She didn't wait for an answer, and kissed him lightly on the mouth. For John, the moment seemed to last for an eternity and was over too quickly. His eyes had closed and rolled back in his head, and when Tiger Lily pulled away he could still feel the tickle of her lips on his.

He opened his eyes to her removing his spectacles. She looked like she was about to throw them to the side but then she stopped, her gaze growing curious. She put them on instead, and the way they magnified her eyes, made John throw his head back and laugh. She took them off and scowled at him, and let go of his shoulders. But the hilarity of the moment seemed to break any uncomfortable feeling he had, and he grabbed her wrist, and brought her back to him. This is the way he wanted their next meeting to go; him confident and in control of the moment.

"You're adorable," he said, and enfolded her into his arms and kissed her passionately, teeth and tongues crashing together. Her fingers went to his neck, and she massaged them into his hair. He was surprised at the growl that this action elicited from his throat. She lifted her knee slowly around his leg.

His hand went to the hem of her dress, and he began to slide it up her thigh, when he heard Wendy calling for him from outside.

"Bloody hell!" he cried, reluctantly releasing her dress.

Tiger Lily smiled and nuzzled him with her nose. "I will come to you tonight," she whispered. She stepped out of his embrace, and placed his spectacles back on his nose. Then she took his hand and led him outside.


	18. Chapter 18

When John and Tiger Lily stepped out of the longhouse, he suddenly realized that his bunk he shared with the other boys would not be a suitable place to rendezvous with Tiger Lily. With the others looking on, he whispered in her ear. "Where shall I meet you?" She caught his drift as he motioned with his eyes to the others looking at them.

"The hot springs," she murmured back.

John smiled, but then collected himself. "Thank you for explaining the structural layout of your home," he said loudly, turning to spread his arms wide in dramatic indication of the longhouse they'd just left. Tiger Lily wrinkled her nose at him; then her face relaxed into understanding.

"It was my pleasure," she said. It seemed silly to her to hide what they were doing and talking about, but then she caught a glimpse of her father's inquisitive expression and she understood. "You may ask me anytime," she called loudly as John and the others began making their way out of the Village. "I am always at the ready to answer them!"

Peter and Wendy shrugged their shoulders at one another in confusion as they continued to stride down the path toward home.

They walked for a half a mile or so slowly, processing the new information. The boys asked incessantly what the meeting was about and when Peter could take no more questions, he pulled Wendy aside.

"We should tell them some of it. But I want to talk to you first before we share about Tinkerbell," he said.

"Yes, I think that would be wise. They're so confused."

"I think you had better tell them."

"Why?" she asked.

"You're a much better story teller than I am," he said. She shook her head with a smile.

"Alright," she said kissing him on the cheek, and gathered the boys around her to tell the story they'd heard as she walked.

Peter really had another plan. He wanted to finish his conversation with John, and he wanted to do it now. He was going to leave tomorrow to travel up Never Peak to find the Fairy's dwelling place, and talk to Tinkerbell. Everything in him wanted to return to childhood and ignore what was happening; the choice he had to make. He almost could. But then he thought of the other inhabitants of Neverland. Food was becoming scarce. He thought of his lost boys. They meant everything to him. His Wendy and her blue eyes sparkling up into his. He would not let anything happen to her again. His mind was made up. But he wanted to do something before he left.

"John, I need to talk to you," whispered Peter.

John was lost in a daydream, his eyes looking at something no one else could see. "Hmm?" he murmured.

"John, wake up! I need to talk to you. About what we were discussing yesterday?"

John looked at him as though he had no idea what he was talking about, and then, "Oh! That! Yes, what is it you want to know?" he inquired, a silly grin still plastered to his face.

"Everything!" shouted Peter annoyed, and winced when Nibs looked back at them. "Everything," he whispered.

John took a deep breath and began the details of sex again. He was extremely clinical in his descriptions, but now he knew that it was not quite such a scientific action. There was pleasure, desire and joy involved.

Peter knew this was the answer to the question that had been burning in his brain. Everything made sense. He hoped Wendy would still be interested in it.

They reached the hideout, and ate what was left of the food they had gathered the day before. "Wendy, I'm hungry," said Michael, pulling on her dress. She smiled, and picked him up, holding him close. "Yes, I know dear, we'll have to go out and find more."

"The boys can do that," said Peter jumping out of his chair eagerly. "I need to talk to you about something,"

"You're not going to kiss her again are you?" asked Slightly. Peter seized the opportunity, and pressed his lips to Wendy's, squishing Michael in the middle. Michael giggled but joined the collective noises of disagreement from the boys so as not to feel left out.

"You've convinced me," said Slightly. "We're going, we're going! Come on men!" And with that, they all marched outside to gather more food.

"Wendy, I need to talk to you about tomorrow."

"Yes I know Peter," she said turning away. She didn't want to think about it. Couldn't she have one last night with Peter, without discussing the tempestuous fairy? She knew the answer was no.

"I have to. It's up to me to save you."

Wendy hugged herself, fearing that the tears that were forming would spill out. "I wish you wouldn't. I wish it weren't up to you."

"I do too," he said coming to hug her from behind. Wendy relaxed into his embrace a little.

"I'm coming with you Peter," she said.

Peter paused and lifted his head from her neck. "No, you can't."

"I can and I will," she declared resolutely.

"Wendy, Wendy…" he trailed off saying her name. He placed hot kisses on her shoulders and his hands roamed over her stomach. She clutched at them feeling waves of sadness and desire crash over her. His hands wandered up to her breasts and she gasped and held them there, her head falling back onto Peter's shoulder. "I want to show you how much I love you," he whispered against her throat. Wendy shuddered at the intensity in his voice.

He turned her around, and captured her mouth with his. They held on this way for long moments.

"My bed," he gasped when they came up for air.

He swept her up, and carried her slowly into his room, relishing the weight of her, the movement of her muscles, the feel of her arms around his neck. He set her down on his bed, and kneeled in front of her looking up into her face with a mischievous smile. He placed his hands on her shins, and ran them up and down leisurely. Pressing on he pushed them past her knees over her thighs, dancing over her skin with his fingers to the hem of her dress. Wendy's heart was beating wildly. It was so much and not enough.

"I'm going to take your dress off Wendy," he said. She nodded slowly. Lifting her slightly, he pulled the soft leather over her head. The notion to cover herself was overwhelming, but she held on, and let him gaze at her. Suddenly, it wasn't embarrassing.

Peter took several deep breaths, and clutched at his heart. She was too beautiful.

She scooted back to his pillow like the night before, and held out her hand impatiently. He shed his clothes, and lay over her. The feel of skin on skin was almost too much for him, but he was determined to make this moment last.

Wendy could only think of how wonderfully they fit together. She knew they would.

He raised himself on his side, and ran his hand down her face, down her neck, over her shoulder, and rested on her breast. He explored them for a while with his fingers. Certain things he did with them, made her react differently. She would moan or arch her back or clutch at his hand. He only stopped when she begged him. "Please Peter, I need more," she said. He rolled over her, and moved his hand down her stomach over her hip to her thigh, and pulled it around him anchoring himself in front of her.

"I'm going to push into you Wendy," he said. She nodded, and clutched his shoulders. He entered her and began to move slowly. She felt a sharp pain that surprised her, but it gave way immediately to a building throb. What magic was this? Now they did fit together. Suddenly they both exploded with pleasure, eyes going fuzzy, calling out each others names, panting and gripping. Peter collapsed on top of Wendy, breathing raggedly. When he felt a little more strength enter his limbs, he whispered, "That was more than I thought."

"Yes," she said, running her hands over his back. He pushed himself up a little, and kissed her gently, not wanting to disturb the moment of calm. He rolled to his side, and held her close so they were forehead to forehead, silent for a while. Then he spoke. "I want to ask you not to come with me tomorrow," he whispered. "I want to keep you safe."

Wendy stared into his eyes, tracing the lines of his face with her fingertips. "That's too bad Peter Pan," she said resolutely. "I'm coming with you. No power in Neverland will stop me."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she kissed him again, stopping him with her tongue. They began to move together again.


	19. Chapter 19

Peter took a little more convincing, but Wendy finally persuaded him. She was coming with him in the morning. Peter intended to fly most of the way, but with Wendy at his side he could not. There was no more fairy dust for her. But deep in his heart, he was content beyond belief that she wanted to come with him. It would keep him from being lonely. But the thing that finally convinced him was that he could protect her much better when she was in his sights. He thought of what would have happened if Tiger Lily had not been there to save her from Hook. The thought made him cringe. Besides, after the events of today she was a part of him now, and he was a part of her.

They had helped each other wash and put their clothes back on so by the time the lost boys finally came back, they were in the makeshift kitchen, Wendy stoking the hearth and Peter sitting in his chair.

The boys ran through the house shouting. "We found meat!" they cried.

"Oh lovely!" said Wendy.

"Just lovely," said Peter. The two of them looked at each other and began to blush a little.

"What's with you two?" asked Curly.

"Nothing," Wendy shrugged and knelt in front of the fire with a smile.

John narrowed his eyes at both of them. He knew exactly what was with them, and it made him slightly uncomfortable, but then that made him think of Tiger Lily, and that thought made him smile.

Wendy cooked their quarry and they all sat together eating silently, feeling a little gloomy. Then Peter spoke. "Men, Wendy and I are leaving tomorrow. We're going to Never Peak to find Tinkerbell." He began the story of why Neverland was changing, what was happening, and why the journey needed to be made. The boys were quiet for a while.

"We're coming with you too Peter," said Nibs standing.

"Yes," said Curly, "we're coming too."

The twins stood with their hands in a saluting position. "And us too."

The boys all stood up amidst Peter and Wendy's protests.

"No boys, this is something I have to do myself. I'm barely letting Wendy come with me."

"And that took a lot of convincing," said Wendy with a smile. Peter let out a goofy chuckle despite himself, but then became somber again.

"I can't let you, you need to stay here and look after things. I don't know if we'll return," he said grimly and sat down and reached for Wendy's hand.

"We haven't had a good adventure in a long time Peter," said Slightly. "We're coming. Besides, what kind of sons would we be if we didn't protect our mother?" He got up and wrapped his arms around Wendy's neck. "I love you mother," he said.

Wendy surprised, stood up, and enfolded him into a tight embrace. She suddenly found herself surrounded by boys in an unyielding group hug. "We love you mother!" came the sweet voices all around her.

She sniffed, and wiped her eyes. "I love you too boys, more than anything! Oh Peter," she said turning to him. "How can we leave them?" she said stroking Nibs' head.

Peter, eyes narrow with thought, looked at them for a while.

"Alright," he said standing. "But you have to listen to everything that I say."

"Yes Peter!" they cried snapping to attention.

"You have to be on your guard at all times."

"Yes Sir!"

John joined them and thought of Tiger Lily. He would do this for her. He wanted her to live the life she deserved, in the lush greenness of Neverland. He would tell her this tonight. Tonight. He grinned.

The rest of the day was filled with preparations. Wendy insisted they take a bath before they left, so Peter and the lost boys all went down to the creek to splash around for a while pretending to wash. John stayed behind to speak with Wendy.

"Wendy, I know this may be uncomfortable, but I just want to make sure you're… alright."

Wendy sighed. "Yes, I'm alright. I mean of course I don't want to go, the thought of seeing Tinkerbell again, makes me a little squeamish, but…"

John cleared his throat. "Oh, yes, that. I know that will be hard for you. I was referring however to… to…"

"Oh!" cried Wendy. "That. Yes, I'm alright John. Perfectly fine in that regard."

"Good! Good… Well then, cheerio. I'll just go and… Well I did have a question…" he trailed off. Wendy shifted uncomfortably from side to side.

"Yes?"

John looked at the floor. "Did it hurt?"

Wendy's eyes darted around the room. "Yes and no. It did for a moment, but I found that I didn't care." John nodded understandingly.

"As long as you're alright Wendy," he said looking her square in the face.

"Thank you John," she smiled. He held his arms out and she hugged him. The awkward moment faded into just a normal afternoon between siblings. _Though_ Wendy thought, _nothing will be the same again._

Peter, Wendy, Michael, John and the lost boys all spent the evening together in their living space; Wendy telling their favorite stories again and all of them thinking of the next morning with varying degrees of excitement and trepidation. It became late and Wendy suggested they all get rest before tomorrow's adventure. They began climbing into their bunks, and the lanterns were blown out. Peter spirited Wendy away into his bedroom, and the soft breathing of the boys slumber started.

John was wide awake, and slowly sat up and put his spectacles back on. He swung his legs over the bed quietly, and stepped onto the dirt floor. He tiptoed out of the hideout, eagerly making his way through the trees to the hot springs, his senses on fire.

Once there he gingerly walked into the clearing to wait for Tiger Lily. He found that he did not need to though. She was already there, in the water, and it looked as though she had no clothes on.

"Hello, John," she purred, moving her arms over the surface of the water.

John found his throat tighten again, the confident rogue he saw himself as was fading quickly. "He-hello Tiger Lily," he stammered. He stood there a moment, not exactly sure what to do.

"Do you not wish to get into the water?" she asked tilting her head seductively. "It's very warm."

"Yes, of course, it is rather chilly out here," he laughed nervously. He made his way toward the steaming water, but Tiger Lily held up her hand.

"You should discard your clothes."

John rather nervously reached for the hem of his nightshirt, and then looked down at her. She rolled her eyes a little and turned around. "I will not peek," she said.

John relaxed a little and peeled off his shirt, and placed his spectacles, which had already started to fog up from the steam, on the ground next to his clothes. He hopped over the rocks into the water. Tiger Lily turned around to face him. They regarded each other for a minute, John losing himself in her brown eyes, and her admiring the broadness of his shoulders. He had changed so much since she had first seen the young awkward boy when he first came to Neverland. Now he was older and infinitely taller. He was not as muscular as Peter, but she found that she liked the lanky sinews of his arms and frame. And he had the most delicious mouth.

She put her hands on his shoulders, and moved to draw herself to him, but he stopped her. "Wait Tiger Lily, there's something we need to discuss first. I wish I wasn't about to say this, Lord knows I don't want to stop what's about to happen. But I want you to make up your mind as to whether we continue or not."

She wrinkled her nose, pulling away from him. "Speak."

"We're all going up the mountain tomorrow," he said. "I wanted you to know. Like your father said, we don't know if we'll return. What if we do something tonight that you'll regret, and you'll never see me again? Well, maybe that would make it easier for you actually…"

Tiger Lily tilted her head and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "There is a simple answer to this," she said. "I am coming with you also."

"Wait, Tiger Lily, that's not quite what I meant. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you…"

"I was going to come with you all along. I intended on telling you tonight." She tried again, and put her hands on his shoulders, running them back and forth. She floated closer in the water and John's breathing became uneven.

"How, how are you doing this to me?" he asked quietly. "I have so many grand ideas of how I might sweep you off your feet with my words, or how I might… well… and I'm the one who seems to be undone by you…" He stopped when she wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her hands in his hair, her body pressed against his in the water. He found he couldn't breathe with her slippery and moving against him.

"You do sweep me off my feet," she whispered, kissing the corner of his mouth. "And I like that I make you feel this way." She kissed the other side. "A woman likes to know she makes a man feel undone." Their lips came crashing together in a hot fury of tongues and teeth. John pulled her body tightly against his, running his hands down over her hips to her buttocks, securing her to him. He buried his face in her neck, placing searing kisses there.

Somehow she had maneuvered them so that his back was against the mossy rocks that lined the steaming water. She raised herself out of the water so that her breasts were above the surface, and John looked down at them and back up at Tiger Lily's face. She nodded. He sucked her left nipple hard into his mouth and she cried out throwing her head back. "John," she said raggedly. Hearing his name, he brought her down steadily so they were eye to eye. He kissed her again, and positioned himself in front of her, slowly pushing into her. Her face convulsed in surprise, but she held on tighter, and wrapped her legs around him. "Yes, this is what I want," she said.

"I'm going to try my damndest not to hurt you," he said. She nodded, and pressed her mouth to his again, matching the rhythm of his hips. He thrust hard once, and her eyes flew open with pain. "I'm sorry!" he cried, "I'm so sorry!"

"Keep going John, please keep going," she said. He picked up his pace again carefully, but found the throb increasing so much he had little room for care, with her crying into his ear for more. Then there was light exploding behind their eyes, and they held onto each other wrapped so tight they were too close to kiss. They rode the waves out together, the water splashing around them.

When they came back down Tiger Lily pulled away from John a little, panting. "You have magic," she whispered.

"Hardly," he said grinning, his hair plastered around his flushed face. "I'm fairly certain you're the one with the magic.

She smiled seductively at him. "Maybe _we_ have magic," she said kissing him.

"You're probably right," he murmured against her lips.


	20. Chapter 20

;D -_ For Panskiss two chapters ago! Thanks for the reviews guys!_

...

"Come back with me tonight," said John climbing out of the steaming water of the hot springs. "I just want to hold you in my bed. We can't do anything though, the boys are there."

He gave her his hand and pulled her out of the water naked to the night. His breath hitched in his throat at the sight of Tiger Lily nude, water sluicing off of her skin. He pulled her to him and they stood together in the moonlight bodies pressed together.

"You're exquisite" he said, kissing her neck. She angled her head to the side to let him, but in doing so saw the position of the moon. She pushed away from him reluctantly.

"We should get some rest; the sun will be up soon."

"Damn the sun," he said drawing her to him again.

"John, we must sleep. There will be time enough for more after we do what we must do tomorrow." She playfully kissed his nose, and returned to her clothes. She pulled her dress over her head in front of John's watchful eyes.

"What if there's not. What if we fail?" he asked.

"You must have faith," she said. "Here, I have brought this for you." She reached around a rock and pulled out some pants made of the same soft leather as her dress. She picked up his night shirt and threw it in the bushes.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, walking forward to retrieve it.

She stopped him with her hand. "You do not need it, it fits you badly now. You are too big for it."

"Really?" he asked smiling. He puffed out his chest a little, and looked at his arms, admiring the slight definition in them.

Tiger Lily rolled her eyes again. _Boys and their silly concern with their bodies_. "And it's filthy," she said wrinkling her nose.

"Oh," he said, taking the leather pants from her.

He slipped them on grateful not to be the only naked party anymore. "What do you think?" he turned in front of her.

Tiger Lily admired him appreciatively. "It suits you well," she said sauntering up to him. She put her hands on his chest, letting her fingers roam. "I like that I can see your chest." She placed a hot kiss over his heart, and John grabbed her waist. "And now I can touch it whenever I like." He leaned down to capture her mouth with his, but she pulled away, just before. "But we must go now."

John sighed "You don't know what you're doing to me," he said bent over, his hands on his knees. She picked up his spectacles and placed them on his nose.

"You will need these when we climb Never Peak to find the fairies dwelling," she said. "I will go home to gather supplies, and I will meet you at the hideout tomorrow."

"Come with me, stay with me tonight." He took her hand in his.

"That would be unwise would it not?" she asked gazing at him from under her eyelashes. "You cannot keep your hands to yourself." Tiger Lily smiled triumphantly. How good it was to know she was desirable.

"Fine, fine, let's go back." John took her things to carry like any good gentleman would do, and they walked back into the woods hand in hand.

When they were out of sight, a tall man wearing a large red coat stepped out of the bushes next to the pool.

"Well, well, well Smee. It seems as though we've caught a lucky break! The children have learned where the Place of the Fairies is located. How delightful!"

"Sure is Cap'n. Should we follow 'em and make 'em talk? Torture 'em like?"

"No, of course not you dolt! We let them find it for us. Then when the moment is right…" He kissed the end of his Hook and then made a gouging motion with it.

"Oh!" cried Smee. "We kill 'em!"

"Precisely!" Hook threw his head back and laughed. "We're finally going to find what we came here for!" His eyes went dark with malice


	21. Chapter 21

The morning came too quickly. Peter and Wendy woke up, wrapped around each other, heads together. Wendy had had another nightmare and only calmed down when Peter held her close, smoothing the hair from her face. She leaned up to kiss his chin. "Thank you," she whispered, snuggling against him. He traced patterns with his fingers across her bare back.

"What were you dreaming about?" he asked. Wendy closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I was falling. Like that first night, when Tinkerbell had the boys try to kill me."

Peter winced, as he remembered when he found her, lying still on the ground. "Wendy, you don't have to come with me," he said against her hair.

She looked up at him. She meant what she had said. No power in Neverland would stop her from coming. Peter wanted to protect her, but who would protect him? She sat up and climbed over him straddling his lap. "Try to stop me," she said, hands on his shoulders. He grinned, and sat up to hold her close and taste her mouth. They moved together, and felt the now familiar throb start to build.

"I… love you," he said against her lips.

"Shh," she whispered, "you'll… wake… the boys…" she ground herself against him, causing both of them to groan.

"Say it back then," he said louder.

"I love you too!" She tried to hold in her cry as they shot to the stars together, pressing their mouths against the other, trying to stifle the noise. Peter fell back against his pillow, and took Wendy with him, still trying to kiss her between gasps.

"It gets better, doesn't it?" she asked, smiling against his skin. Peter only eagerly nodded his head, breathing heavily.

Noise began to quake outside the room. "What's happening in there?" came Nibs' voice. "Are you wrestling?"

"Oh dear!" cried Wendy, rolling off Peter and grabbing her dress. She sat on the floor next to the bed, and pulled it over her head.

Peter jumped up, searching for his pants.

"Yes, and if you come in before I pin her you'll be sorry!" he yelled. He found his missing clothing under the flurry of blankets, and pulled them over his ankles, almost tripping in the process.

"Were hungry!" cried Nibs. Wendy stood up and straightened her dress. Those boys were going to be the death of her! Almost giving her a heart attack, and then begging for food. Honestly, she could throttle them.

She stood before the mirror running her fingers through her wildly unkempt hair, with Peter still struggling to pull his pants on. He'd grown even more she noticed, and the muscles of his thighs showed easily through his garment.

He caught her smiling at him and grinned back. "What?" he asked, trying to swivel the waist around to make them fit.

"Oh nothing," she smirked, "Only, I think you need some new pants." He looked down at them.

"Hmm, you're probably right."

She turned quickly, before the urge to kiss him again grew to past her resistance and left to help the boys get ready for their journey.

She walked out into the living room to eight eager and hungry faces.

"Good morning Wendy," said Michael, his arms lifted above his head to be picked up. Wendy stooped to oblige, but found him much heavier than the day before. She grunted, as she lifted him up to her hip, and looked at his face. My goodness, he was bigger! This worried her so terribly it showed on her face. Michael reached out with his hand to touch her cheek. "What's the matter Wendy?" he asked.

"Nothing dear, nothing, but we must be on our way, and quickly." She set him down, and called for Peter.

But then she noticed John out of the corner of her eye, wearing what looked to be the pants that the Indian Braves wore.

"What are those, John?" she asked. "Where did you get them?"

He blushed furiously, scuffing his shoe into the ground. "Well, you see Wendy, Tiger Lily thought I might… benefit from them… so she brought them for me…"

"Tiger Lily? Where is she?" Wendy looked around the room.

"What is it?" asked Peter finally joining her at the stove. Wendy turned her attention back to the boys and away from John's attire. He gratefully slipped to the side, and sighed, relieved not to be under Wendy's interrogation. How to tell them about Tiger Lily and himself?

"Look at them," she said to Peter, gesturing to the boys milling around.

"What about them?" he asked, wrinkling his brow.

"They're taller." Peter suddenly noticed the growth spurt of the boys, and looked back at Wendy with concern. "We need to leave," he said.

"I know. Soon as we finish breakfast. How long till we reach the top Peter? Have you ever climbed it before?"

He shook his head. "Not the very top, but we've hunted around the bottom. It shouldn't take us more than a day or a day and a half. That is if we can find what were looking for. Who knows how the fairies may have hidden themselves away."

"I've been thinking about that too. Alright, well we need supplies won't we?" Almost in answer to Wendy's question, Tiger Lily entered the hideout and came down the stairs with a few rawhide bags in her hands.

"I have come with things that we will need for our journey," she said, as the boys ran forward to take the bags from her and rifle through them. Wendy went to hug her warmly. John stood to the side, wanting to do the same; rush to her and hold her.

"Thank you Tiger Lily!" said Wendy, appreciatively. It was wonderful not to have to worry about what to bring.

"You are most welcome," she said, hugging Wendy back. Her eyes rested on John and gave him a smile, just for him.

"Wait, wait, wait," cried Peter. "We? Our journey? What do you mean Tiger Lily?"

"I am coming with you of course. You did not think that I would miss one of our greatest adventures. I told John last night…" she trailed off. Oops! She guessed that that had remained a secret, with the way everyone in the room looked up at her from what they were doing. She shrugged her shoulders with an apologetic smirk in John's direction. He smiled shrugging his shoulders too and walked up beside her, snaking his arm around her waist.

"Tiger lily and I met last night to discuss our ascent up the mountain. She's coming with us." He addressed his sister. "That's when I got the pants Wendy."

Wendy and Peter looked at each other bewildered. "Oh," said Wendy.

"And… we're in love!" proclaimed John, grinning.

Tiger Lily looked up at him surprised. Love? Well, yes she supposed so. She wished he would have said it to her first though.

Silence filled the room, and everyone seemed at a loss for words.

"We should leave," said Tiger Lily, pulling out of John's arm and walking up to a still dazed Peter to show him the supplies she had brought.

Wendy whispered to John, "When did this happen?"

"Well, I suppose it's been happening for quite some time Wendy. I'm sorry I didn't mention it, but quite frankly, it took me by surprise as well," he said pushing his spectacles farther up on his nose.

"Well, it's nice John, really. But I feel like everything is happening so fast. So you two said I love you to each other last night?" she asked.

"Not exactly. We never _said_ the words…" He looked at Tiger Lily, and she glanced back, eyes narrowed a little, and turned her head away.

"Oh, John. She looks a little put out. Maybe that's something you should discuss with her? Maybe before announcing it to the world?" Wendy patted him on the shoulder.

"Blast," he said. What a silly ass he was. Oh, hopefully his chances weren't ruined by his overeager words. He folded his long arms. His heart ached a little at his stupidity.

The preparations were complete and they all left the hideout together, and began the march up to the base of Never Peak. It took them only two hours to reach by foot, but it seemed to go by at a creeping pace; especially for John. When they reached the incline, Wendy suggested they take a rest before they continued and they all sat together on the ground, munching on some of the provisions Tiger Lily had brought.

The mountain looked strange from where they sat. There was dead foliage everywhere, scattered among the living. Everything felt in a freefall of demise. It was getting colder too. And yet, the closer they got to the base, the more the air seemed alive. It hummed and buzzed with magic. Wendy swore she could feel it moving around her almost in a tickle.

John felt something too, and it overshadowed any magic he might have been aware of. It was remorse. He tried to steer Tiger Lily to the back of the group as they walked, but she would walk around him, or step to the side, and hurry to talk to Wendy or Peter. She even talked to Slightly, in a quick escape from John's attempts to speak to her.

He put on a face of determination in spite of her cold reaction though. He would talk to her, he would tell her how he felt.

The respite was over, and the small band stood to begin their real journey. They started up the incline that led up the mountain, searching the side of the rocks as they went for crevasses or chinks. Anywhere a fairy might hide itself.

Behind them trailing slowly and silently, using the foliage to hide behind, were a handful of pirates, ready to pounce when the moment was right


	22. Chapter 22

_The mountain is alive,_ thought Wendy. She could feel it vibrating and singing to her. It was something primeval and it reverberated in her deepest being; the part that was growing up. It terrified her and intrigued her. She didn't know what it was saying, but it was getting louder.

They had found nothing so far. It had been hours, and still no sign of a fairy anywhere. The younger boys were tired, and Peter had slung Michael up onto his shoulders. Wendy had tried to do the same for Tootles, but found she could no longer bear his weight for very long. They had gotten big enough to tire her quickly.

They made their way up switchbacks that had been carved into the rock in ancient times; by whom, no one knew.

"I'm tired Peter," said Michael. Peter nodded, and stopped. He knew the feeling and grunted when he set Michael on the ground. They had found an area canopied by trees and they all sat together on a patch of moss, surrounded by tall pines and palms. The jungle and the forest seemed to mix together on the mountain creating a strange setting. Especially when some of the trees were dead, some living, and some turning their green leaves to gold, red and orange.

John thought this the perfect moment to pull Tiger Lily aside.

He motioned for her to follow him into the foliage of the forest, and she stood up amongst the attention of the whole party and sighed. If discretion was his goal, he had failed.

She followed him into the strange forest and John turned around to face her.

"I've been trying to talk to you all day Tiger Lily. I usually find your fortitude admirable, but now I'm finding your stubbornness damnably annoying."

Tiger Lily looked at him in astonishment of the vehemence in his voice. He was full of surprises today.

"Then speak," she said irritated. "I will try to hold back my stubbornness to appease you."

John took a deep breath. This wasn't coming out right, the way he'd planned. "I'm sorry Tiger Lily, I should have told you first… before everyone else. I think I just assumed that… you knew."

She crossed her arms in front of her and inclined her head to the side. "What do I know?" she asked.

"That well, the changes I've been going through… what happened last night… everything! I thought that you knew… how I felt." He swallowed hard.

She looked at the ground. "A woman likes to know she makes her man come undone," she said slowly. John nodded. Her eyes snapped up to his. "She also likes to hear him say… IT."

"I did say that last night, that you make me come undone," he said suddenly defensive. Tiger Lily threw her hands up.

"That is not what I meant," she said. "Why can you not say it?"

John paused. Why couldn't he say it? Three little words and they were enough to overwhelm him. "It's such a big feeling… what we did, then you look at me that way… it terrifies me. You somewhat terrify me," he confessed ashamedly.

This was the opposite of what Tiger Lily wanted to hear. She wanted to be terrifying to her enemies, not him. Not John. She gave herself to him, this long, tall boy with spectacles, thinking that they'd shared something intimate. In a way, he knew her better than anyone up to that point; more than her father, more than Peter. She had opened herself up to him and come to find out, what he saw in her was something to be feared. Her anger overshadowed her hurt and she turned to stomp off, through with this boy whom she had thought was a man.

He caught her hand, and her head whipped around. She struggled to free herself, but he held on. He slowly reeled her into his arms, sliding them around her. She felt her will give way. She was finding she loved to be touched by him.

He bent his head down to meet his forehead with hers. "You scare me, but in a good way. Oh Tiger Lily, sweet, beautiful Tiger Lily," he whispered. She suddenly had a hard time looking back at him, his eyes were so tender. "I love you." The joy at she felt at his words melted away any anger she had left. She broke into a wide smile, and tipped her head up say the words back.

"I love you too John," she said.

"Really?" he asked, beaming back.

"Yes, you idiot!" She giggled and planted kisses all over his face, and he laughed and twirled her around. The world was right again. In fact more than alright.

"You two lovebirds!" called Peter. "We have more to go!"

John set her down, and took her hand, kissing her fingers and led her back into the clearing.

Tiger Lily was perplexed at all of these new feelings. Three days ago, she was as hardened a warrior as they came, and now she felt herself softening, like leather left out in the sun. This was good was it not? She was happier than ever, but she didn't want to lose herself completely in these feelings. She couldn't remember when she'd last giggled like a child. How could she put back on her warrior mentality when she felt like this, thanks to a lanky boy who made her heart melt? She must try a little for the sake of the mission. But she held onto John's hand. She would not let go completely.

The company treaded on for a few hours more. It became apparent that they were not going to find any sign of a fairy that night so Peter decided they would have to sleep on the mountain. It grew bitingly cold, and the boys, usually only willing to touch each for rough housing purposes, now clung to each other to fight the chill instead. Tiger Lily had brought some thin blankets, but there were only four so the boys huddled together under two, John and Tiger Lily and Michael under another, and Peter, Wendy and Tootles under the fourth.

John let Michael under the blanket and ruffled his hair. Michael climbed over him and lay right in between him and Tiger Lily, who looked up at John surprised. She had assumed that John would wrap her up in his arms, and she would help keep him warm. Now there was a wiggly child in between her expectations, and he was smiling into her face.

"This is fun isn't it John?" asked Michael. "It's like what they call camping!" He joyfully threw his arm around Tiger Lily and snuggled up next to her. She was not at all accustomed to small children, especially not affectionate ones. There was something about Michael's face that seemed to be tugging at her heartstrings however. His eyes shut tight and his cheeks rosy from the events of the day. She carefully put her arm around him and let her hand rest on his back.

"Are you… comfortable?" she asked Michael, looking at John for help but he only shrugged and put his hand over his mouth to keep in a laugh threatening to escape. This wasn't what he had in mind either but she looked so adorable being shoved out of her element by this clinging child that he let Michael have his way, and left him.

"Mm hmm," Michael murmured and yawned. She smiled a little, and bent her head slowly to kiss his forehead. Then she jerked her head up. What was she doing? What a fool she must look like. She hardly knew the boy, and here she was kissing him? She glanced up at John, afraid of his reaction, but found him smiling at her. He leaned over Michael and kissed her on the lips. "What a good mother you'll make someday," he said and laid his head down and closed his eyes.

While John's eyes closed, Tiger Lily's flew open at his words. Mother?! Who said she wanted to be a mother? All of this love, all of these feelings inside were leading her to motherhood? No! Oh no! No more adventures, no more living free to roam and explore? She would not have it!

She moved to unclench Michael's arms from around her but caught a glimpse of Wendy, a few feet away under the other blanket. She was smoothing the hair out of Tootles' face and kissing him on the forehead. It suddenly struck her that being a mother might not mean she had to give up adventures. Here was Wendy, right next to her, being a mother and sharing in their journey at the same time.

Tiger Lily looked back down at Michael, starting to breathe slowly, relaxing his grip on her. She let his sleeping face affect her. She let the feel of his arms around her soften her a little bit more. This small being that would not last in a fight, was in a matter of moments changing her, and the ferocity that arose in her bones when she thought about him getting hurt alarmed her so much, she almost didn't recognize herself. She could be a warrior for him. She closed her eyes and kissed Michael on the head, surprisingly content with the thought.

Wendy folded Tootles into her arms, and reached across to touch Peter's face. He smiled at her and yawned. "It's been a long day," he whispered.

"Yes it has," she said yawning back.

"Are you alright Wendy? Still glad you came?" He took her hand and put her fingers against his lips.

"Yes, of course I am." She sighed. Even the smallest touch from Peter was enough to make her blood race.

"You've just been very quiet so far."

She thought for a moment. "Well there's not much to say. Besides, that vibration is so loud. It's a wonder anyone can hear anything."

"Vibration?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, that thrumming. That song that's coming from the mountain." Peter wrinkled his nose.

"I don't hear any vibration," he said.

"How can you not, it's so loud. There's almost a melody." She hummed softly, the song that had been floating through her being all day.

Nibs shot straight up under his blanket. "You hear it too Wendy?" he asked.

"Hey!" cried Curly. "It's getting cold again!" Nibs rolled his eyes, and crawled over to her.

"Yes! Doesn't anyone hear it?" She hummed it again.

"No," said Nibs. "I already asked them earlier today. We're the only ones."

Peter moved to get up, but Wendy stopped him. "We'll figure it out in the morning Peter, right now I need to sleep. You do too Nibs." She patted his cheek, and he turned around to crawl back. "I need sleep," she said snuggling Tootles.

Peter, concerned, lay his head down, and stared at Wendy, listening carefully, trying to hear what she could hear. He would have trouble sleeping tonight.


	23. Chapter 23

Wendy had her dream again. She was soaring over Neverland. She remembered the deliciously scary feeling. It was something unnatural, and something she was made to do at the same time. Her body was vibrating with excitement, with possibility. She could go anywhere, do anything. With Peter. Her heart leapt. The thought made her fly higher. And then, out of nowhere there was a crack, a bright light and a pounding in her head, and then down… down… and darkness.

She sat straight up from her makeshift bed on the ground, gulping in air.

Tootles was jostled into consciousness, while Peter, who hadn't been sleeping, took her face in his hands. "Wendy, Wendy are you alright? What happened? Was it your dream again?"

Wendy was still breathing heavily, her eyes wide with emotion. "Yes," she said. "It's not real is it? It's not real…"

Peter held her head to his chest, and kissed her hair and she grabbed his shoulder, taking comfort in touching him. "No, it's not real," he said.

Tootles crawled to the other side of her and laid his hand on Wendy's knee. "Mother, are you alright?" he asked in a small scared voice.

Wendy took a deep breath and blew it out. Peter let go and she turned toward Tootles. "Yes Dear, I'm alright. I'm sorry I frightened you, it was just a bad dream." She held out her hand and he took it, swinging it back and forth a little.

"You know what you do for us when we have bad dreams?" he asked.

"I sing to you," she said smiling.

"Yes. Want me to sing to you Mother?"

"You sweet boy," she said stroking his cheek. "Yes, I would like it if you sang to me."

Tootles looked around, surprised that no one else was awake with all of the noise Wendy had made. He pushed her shoulders back to the ground, and began singing softly. Peter smiled at the scene, but then became serious again. How could he stop the nightmares from coming? He knew they were because of Tinkerbell, and here they were trying to find her. He made up his mind. He would wait until Wendy and Tootles were asleep again, and then he would leave before first light. He would find Tinkerbell himself and not expose Wendy to more cause for nightmares.

Just when he'd settled on the idea, he heard a thrashing noise, and a cry coming from where the other boys were sleeping.

"No! Tinkerbell! Oh no, oh no!" Nibs was kicking his legs, and reaching out grasping at nothing.

"Hey! What's going on?" cried Slightly. The other boys were rubbing their eyes, and pulling the blanket around them again. Peter jumped up and knelt in front of Nibs. He was sniffing, his eyes swollen with tears.

"What's wrong Nibs?" asked Peter.

"Please don't kill Tink, please Peter!" He let out an uncontrolled sob, and reached for Peter's arm.

"What? Nibs, what are you saying? Of course I'm not going to kill Tinkerbell! What makes you think I'm going to kill her?"

Wendy had joined them, and pulled Nibs into her arms. "No one's going to kill Tinkerbell," she said soothingly, stroking his head. Nibs clung to her crying salty tears on her shoulder.

"I keep seeing it!" he wailed. Wendy looked up at Peter with concern. Peter was at a loss. Of course he wasn't going to kill her. What was Nibs talking about?"

John and Tiger Lily had woken up as well, and came over to see what all the commotion was about. Tiger Lily held Michael on her hip, and John had wrapped them up in the blanket. "What's going on?" he asked, putting his spectacles back on.

"He keeps dreaming it," said Curly. "He dreamt it last night too."

"It's only a nightmare Nibs," said Wendy. "I've been having them as well. They're awful aren't they?" She pulled him out a little, and lifted his chin to look in his face. Nibs nodded. "But they aren't real. You're here and you're safe, and I've got you." She hugged him close and he began to breathe normally again.

"I love Tinkerbell," he murmured.

Wendy nodded her head. She couldn't say she felt the same, but she wasn't going to speak anything to the contrary at the moment.

"She always brought me a treat. She brought me to Neverland. I love her." He sighed. "I'm scared. She didn't mean to do this to Neverland, I know it. Please, let's not hurt her," he said again, fear growing in his voice again.

"No one's going to hurt her, I promise you," said Peter kneeling down again. "We're only doing this to talk to her."

Nibs nodded. "Alright. You promise Peter?"

"I promise Nibs," he said, holding out his pinky. Nibs took it with his own and they shook on it.

He climbed off Wendy's lap, and crawled under the blanket again.

Wendy took a deep breath, and shook her head. What was going on? Shared Nightmares, and a song that only the two of them could hear? What did it all mean?

Suddenly, the vibration of the mountain grew louder. Wendy's head was buzzing and her eardrums were shaking. She held her hands up to her ears.

"Ah!" she moaned. She looked at Nibs, and saw that his fingers were in his ears too.

"What's happening Wendy?" he cried.

Peter stood in front of her and grabbed her wrists. "Wendy? Tell me what's going on? What can I do?" he asked helplessly.

"I don't know!" she yelled. "It's telling me something!" She sank to the earth, and her eyes rolled back in her head. She and Nibs were writhing on the ground, with Peter looking on powerless.

"Wendy!" cried John, and he knelt down to try to hold her so she wouldn't hurt herself. "Get Nibs!" he yelled to anyone who would listen.

Peter snapped out of his fear, and dove for Nibs, holding his arms.

Suddenly they stopped, and lay limp on the ground. Wendy's eyes fluttered and opened, clarity slowly coming back into them.

"Are you all right? Oh God Wendy! What's going on?" cried Peter.

She sat up on her elbows, panting.

"I know where it is," she said.


	24. Chapter 24

_Sorry to keep you waiting! I've had zero time to write! Enjoy!_

_..._

"I know Peter, I know where it is," Wendy tried to stand up, but her head whooshed and Peter caught her in his arms.

"Don't move Wendy, don't say anything, just rest for a moment." He laid her back down and put his hands on either side of her cheeks looking into her eyes. He half expected them to roll back again, he was so terrified. But he had to be strong for her right now. Nibs was lying on his side hold his stomach.

"I'm going to be sick," he cried. Tiger Lily put Michael down, and knelt beside Nibs, stroking his head.

"It will be alright," she said. Then she thought of something. "I'll be right back." She jumped up and ran into the forest.

"Don't leave me!" cried Nibs rolling from side to side. The vibrations had stopped, but his head pounded and his stomach felt as though it was burning. John sat next to him and took his hand.

"She'll be right back Nibs, I promise," he said. He looked at Peter, feeling overwhelmed and tired. He just wanted to go back to sleep. Couldn't this adventure be over and things go back to the way they were? No, he thought. Even if they lived through this, nothing would ever be the same again.

Wendy sat up again amidst Peter's protests. "I know where it is; where the fairies are. I saw it," she said.

"Me too," groaned Nibs, still holding his stomach, rocking back and forth.

"Where?" asked Peter.

"We passed it. It's at the base."

"What? There's no possible way," he said, pushing on Wendy's shoulders to make her stay down. She was still trying to stand, and she still looked as though she felt wobbly. "We checked the rocks all the way up."

"I know. When I saw it just now though, I knew we had passed it. I just didn't see it before."

"What?" asked Peter confused.

"I don't know, but I don't think we were meant to see it. It didn't want to be seen. The entrance I mean. We might have even looked at it. But we couldn't see it."

"I don't understand," he said.

"Neither do I," said Wendy. "I just know we passed it. We need to head back down."

Just then Tiger Lily came bounding back into the clearing with a sprig of herbs in her hand. "Here Nibs," she said kneeling beside him. "Chew this. It will take away the pain in your stomach." She handed him some of the leaves, and he gratefully put them in his mouth and began to gnaw on them. He made a little sighing noise and sat up.

Wendy cleared her throat. "May I have some too Tiger Lily?" She put her hand in front of her mouth and tried to hold back her heave.

"Oh!" cried Tiger Lily, and ran over to give Wendy some of the herb.

"Thank you," she said chomping appreciatively on the sweet, effervescent leaves. Her stomach began to settle, and she stood up, a little wobbly. Peter held out his arms to catch her. "I'm alright Peter, I'm fine."

"Where do we go?" asked Curly.

"Back where we came from," said Wendy. She turned to walk purposefully down the mountain. Peter tentatively shrugged at the others and followed.

Nibs walked ahead with Wendy to speak to her. He still felt strange about what happened, physically and emotionally. "Why us Wendy? Why did the mountain choose us?"

Wendy shook her head. "I don't know Nibs. I honestly don't know. I came because I had to. This is the last place I want to be, but I had to."

"Me too," he said. "I don't want to be here either. I just want Tinkerbell to come back and have everything the same as it was. Can't we do that?"

"I hope so Nibs." Wendy sighed. It would be easy for her to tell Peter she was going home. That she was done with this adventure. But she couldn't, for his sake. She was devoted to him, and she would not leave him no matter how much she dreaded seeing the fairy again, and what that might do to them.

An hour of walking downward led them to a small clearing surrounded by yellowing birch trees. The sun was filtering through them, and the breeze had picked up making the coined leaves shimmer like undulating copper. It was quite beautiful, but somehow disturbing. They all felt the change of weather in the air, and it felt altogether wrong.

"It's here," said Wendy. "It's somewhere around here." She turned her head this way and that, but didn't seem to see anything. Nibs looked at her knowingly, and pointed to two birch trees that were still green and flourishing.

"There," he said. "It's there."

Wendy nodded her head. "That's what I saw." In between the two trees was the mouth of a small cave, the entrance just high enough for the tallest person in the party to crouch to go through.

"I don't see anything Wendy," said Peter worried. There was nothing where they pointed.

"Peter, it's as plain as day!" she exclaimed. "Take my hand." She held it out. Peter looked at her tentatively. Everything in him wanted to turn and walk away. It was a strange feeling, like he had to fight his body to will it to walk forward.

"Wendy," said John. "Peter's right, there's nothing there, just the rock face."

Wendy looked at Nibs and they shared a moment of confusion. "Don't you see it?" he asked the other lost boys.

"See what?" asked Slightly. His eyes had grown hazy, and he awakened to Nibs' voice as if he'd been asleep. In fact, all of the boys were rubbing their eyes, and smacking their mouths, as if they'd just woken up.

"Where are we?" asked one of the twins.

"Yeah, where are we?" asked the other.

"Peter, why are we on Never Peak?" Curly turned towards his leader. Peter looked around blinking. He found he didn't know. He was just thinking about it, wasn't he? Wait, what was he thinking about?

"Wendy, what's going on?"

Wendy and Nibs stood confused. What was happening to the others? They didn't seem to even know why they were there. Wendy looked again at the cave entrance thinking maybe she'd made a mistake. Maybe there was nothing there. But no, there was the crack in the rock, clear as day, and it seemed to be calling to her. She turned to Nibs. "What shall we do?" she asked him.

"We need to take them inside," he said purposefully.

"Take my hand," said Wendy again, turning to Peter. "Come with me."

Peter looked at her still blinking. He didn't know what was going on, and he didn't trust where she wanted him to go. But he trusted her. He trusted his Wendy. He took her hand like a child and allowed her to lead him to the wall of rock stretching high up to the mountain. But something extraordinary happened. They walked right through what he perceived to be solid stone into darkness dripping with magic and moisture. He shook his head, as all of his memories of the past few days were restored to him.

"What just happened?" he asked, talking a hold of Wendy's shoulders to steady himself.

"I don't know," said Wendy. "It's like the entrance still didn't want to be found."

Peter smiled at her. "What would I do without you Wendy Darling," he said, taking a moment to press his fingers into her hips. "I would still be wandering around this blasted mountain!" He drew her closer to softly kiss her.

"I love you Peter Pan," she whispered. Just then, the rest of their party joined them, all holding hands in a line led by a smiling Nibs.

"See, I told you!" he said triumphantly. They all blinked their eyes, adjusting to the dimness of the cave, and the weight of magic pressing on them from all sides.

Michael held onto John's hand on his right, and Tiger Lily's on his left. She felt his little hand squeeze hers, and she bent down to attend to him. "It will be alright, little one," she said running her finger down his cheek. "I will not let anything happen to you." She smiled at him, and he grinned back.

"I love you Tiger Lily," he said.

"I… thank you," she said awkwardly, caught off guard. But he grinned away, not thinking anything of it, and began to walk forward, pulling on John and Tiger Lily's hands to lead them on.

Peter looked into Wendy's eyes, searching for reservation from her. Any hint of it, and he would abandon their scheme. She touched his face with her fingertips, and shook her head to the question he asked with his eyes. She would go with him. He took a deep breath and wrapped his arm around Wendy's waist, and they began to walk further into the cave.

The lost boys were quiet as they ventured forward following Peter and Wendy. John was deep in thought. He held his brothers hand tightly in his, and glanced at Tiger Lily. She looked at him and smiled a smile that held so many of the things he was feeling, that his heart flipped in his chest. There was fear, concern, determination and love in her face, and he longed to take her then and there, quenching his reservations about their journey in her heat and passion. She nodded at him as though she understood. The look he was giving her was making her blood boil. She had to believe they would make it through this adventure so they could come together once more.

John paused in his reverie that was threatening to distract him completely when he noticed that the cave was not acting like a normal cave. The ground was smoother than he would have guessed it would be from the years of dripping water, and instead of getting darker, it was getting lighter. The walls seemed to be glowing with unearthly lights. Pinks and greens and blues were growing brighter and brighter the deeper they walked. A noise behind them like a click sounded, and Tiger Lily's head snapped back, listening. There was a drip, and it echoed through the cave.

"It's just the water my darling," said John. Tiger Lily looked unconvinced, but turned to keep walking just the same, keeping her attention behind her.

Wendy held onto Peter's arm to steady herself. Her nerves were coming undone the farther they walked into the cave. She could feel the magic of the place thick and sweet. It reminded her of when she tried to make toffee in her house in London, and it burnt, filling the whole house, choking her with smoky, sugary sweetness. She made an effort to breathe deeply, concentrating on that alone.

Peter felt he must be aware of his surroundings at this moment, but couldn't help but admire Wendy. She didn't want to come; he knew that with every fiber of his being, and here she was by his side; standing next to him, _with_ him. He would pay her back for her sacrifice, one way or another.

The air was getting thicker, and he felt overwhelmed by hot tidal waves of emotions. It was like they were radiating from him, sure to burn anyone who was near him. He looked at Wendy, surely she must feel _him._ How he felt about her, how much he loved her, how he could pull her behind that rock and take her… She gazed back at him as they walked. She felt it too. But she had to be strong. She shook her head at his new question. There would be time later, and she would make sure of it. They would not fail.

The cave seemed to curve, as the light grew brighter and brighter. As they walked, they began to notice foliage sticking out of the ground against the walls of rock. They wondered at this phenomenon. Ferns here and there were scattered around, and then there were large bushes, green trees, lush and growing. There was a buzzing in the air, and bells were chiming and tinkling. They rounded a corner to a sight none of them could have expected.

expected.


	25. Chapter 25

All ten of them stopped short, their eyes being drawn up, up, up past enormously tall elms, oaks and maple trees to the top of a cavernous room, glowing with mysterious golden light. The air shimmered before their eyes, as magic floated past them like visible wind. A forest within a mountain! Ferns and bushes and flowers were leaning out to them, stretching their branches and leaves toward the visitors as if in welcome, glittering with fairy dust.

The buzzing they heard came from hundreds of fairies, wings fluttering almost too fast to see. They were coming from all over to hover in front of them, singing in musical and tinkling voices. Wendy forgot her fear for the moment of these wild creatures, and stared in awe at the beauty and wonder in their home and the overwhelming splendor of the mass affect that so many fairies in one place created. Each one glowed with their own color, together making the spacious hollow dance with rainbows. She felt herself glowing in response. She wanted to sway with the rhythm of the place, lose herself in the humming melody. She could practically see emotions drifting through the air. So this was what it was like to be bewitched by fairies. So many stories from England about people losing themselves in time, awakening back home, wanting to return, made all the sense in the world now.

Peter took Wendy's face in his hands. "Look at me," he commanded. He knew what the fairies were singing. He knew their language, and the words of their song were frightening. She glanced at him, but found she couldn't keep her eyes from wandering to a new sight every moment. She was noticing the murmur of the brook gently flowing through the trees. There were swans floating in the water, feathers fading from white into different colors. There were eagles gliding over the massive trees, tiny, creating a reference point for how high the ceiling of the cavern really was. Her eyes danced with wonder. Peter tried again. "Look at me Wendy, look into my eyes. Listen to my voice." Her gaze had glazed over and she looked at him confused. Peter smashed his lips against hers in an effort to bring her back to him. She didn't respond at first still under the spell of the place. But then she felt the wet warmth of Peter's mouth, the delightful pull in her stomach from his tongue against hers and her mind focused back to the moment.

"Peter," she sighed, gripping the front of his shirt, using his body to anchor her in reality. "Peter, Peter." She slid her forehead to his neck until she felt herself again. "Oh, what would I do without you?" He smiled.

"You'd be kidnapped by fairies. Now we need to help Nibs." Wendy turned around and saw that Nibs was swaying back and forth in a world of his own, the others pulling on his arms to keep him from walking toward the forest and the beckoning fairies calling him to come with them into the trees.

She ran and knelt in front of him, taking his shoulders in her hands. "Nibs, Nibs, can you hear me? Listen to my voice," she said shaking him. He smiled at her as though she was a dream and tried to push past her.

Peter turned around angrily at the hovering fairies. He was so confused at their behavior. They didn't do this, they were kind, they were helpful, they loved children. "Stop!" he cried. "He's not what you want! Leave him alone! Take us to the fairy queen, or so help me!" He drew his sword, jabbing it in the air to make his point.

"It is not their fault," said a young man coming through the soft lights of the winged creatures. He held up his hand, and the fairies halted their singing. "They require a sacrifice."

Peter held his sword in place, unsure of this new development. "What? Who are you?" he asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"My name is Soaring Eagle," he said. "I've been here for many, many years and…" Soaring Eagle took in the sight of all ten of them, until his eyes rested on Tiger Lily. "Morning Dove!" he cried, and ran to Tiger Lily, wrapping her in his arms. "I thought I would never see you again!"

"Grandfather!" she exclaimed hugging him back. "I am Tiger Lily, your granddaughter! Your great, great granddaughter!" She smiled, ecstatic to see and be holding her ancestor whom she had heard so much about.

Soaring Eagle pulled away, holding her shoulders at arms length, and searched her face. He looked closely in her eyes, and sighed. He cast his gaze down sadly to the ground, remembering something with hurt. But then he brightened, his young mouth smiling. "I have a great, great granddaughter!" he said happily. "You would never be able to guess I was old enough!" he laughed, and the others looked at him in agreement. Here was a young man with glossy black hair, barely older than what Peter imagined he himself must look like now. Soaring Eagle turned back to Tiger Lily. "Forgive me granddaughter, you look so much like your grandmother." She grinned at the comparison, for her loveliness was often sung about in her village.

"She must have been beautiful," said John. Tiger Lily blushed, and pushed at his arm. Soaring Eagle studied the two of them with a knowing look.

"Sir," said Peter drawing the young Indian Chief's attention back to him. "What happened to you? You didn't die? We'd like to get to the bottom of this. Neverland is dying outside. What must we do to fix it?"

Soaring Eagle took a deep breath. "So it's happening again, just as I feared," he said. "There has been growing agitation, I have felt it myself."

"What are you doing here?" asked Wendy.

"There is much to know, there is much to be discussed. I will take you to the fairy queen and you will understand." He gestured at them to follow him, and Tiger Lily took his arm walking proudly next to her ancestor. The fairies flew to either side to let them pass and Wendy held onto Peter's waist tightly. She felt that at any moment they would descend upon her in a furious swarm to pull her away from him. Michael ran up to hold onto the hem of Wendy's dress, and she looked down at him, her heart filling with guilt. Here she was letting fear rule her emotions, and the other boys were probably just as frightened. She needed to be a mother to them first, above her fear. She knelt down to pick him up and kissed him on his cheek, letting him wrap his arms around her neck. She glanced back at the other boys, whose heads hadn't stopped moving around the room with trepidation. She let them go in front of her and Peter, smiling at them with a look that she hoped was a reassuring one. They gratefully walked on ahead of Peter and Wendy, eyes still wandering around the cave. She looked up at Peter and he smiled at her with his eyes, the look that made her fall in love with his kindness and he playfully touched Michael's nose and wrapped a protective arm around them both.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to either of you," he said, and they moved on following the rest of the group.

They didn't go too far before they reached their destination, but there were a hundred things to see on their short walk. Hanging from every branch of every tree were fairy houses made from sticks, moss and leaves, some decorated with tiny radiantly colored flowers. There were bees buzzing from blossom to blossom in brilliant jewel tones of magenta and aqua. Everything was cast in the golden light that seemed to be coming from nowhere, making everything look soft and pleasant. The sickly sweet smell gave way to musky perfumes from the flowers, and they could practically taste the sharp sugary fruits hanging off the bushes. There was music humming like violins and flutes through the air, but that was only the closest thing Wendy could compare it to, for they were vastly different than any orchestra she'd ever heard back home.

Soaring Eagle led them to a massive oak tree, the biggest any of them had ever seen. It towered above them, stretching beyond what they could see with their naked eyes from the ground. There was a narrow split in the tree that opened twenty feet above their heads. They stopped in front of it, scarcely believing their senses. Soaring Eagle laughed at their shocked faces, eyes wide with wonder. "I could not comprehend the sights myself when I first arrived!" he said merrily. "But I assure you it is all real. This is the entrance to the fairy queen's dwelling. She will not be expecting you, so I will speak first. Then she will tell you all the things you long to know."

They nodded, and John with an excitement that had been growing in his heart grinned widely at the others and followed Soaring Eagle and Tiger Lily boldly into the tree. They looked at each other and silently entered the trunk behind them.


	26. Chapter 26

_Don't hate me for this short chapter! There will be another up tomorrow morning, I promise! Thanks for being patient with me. I was in a great place with not much to do life-wise when I started writing this again, so I could update more frequently, than I have been lately :) And thanks for the reviews! I feel so touched that you guys have responded this way to this story! Thanks for reading it, and I'm glad you're enjoying it!_

They walked into a room wider than they'd imagined. The base of the tree had been hollowed out to create a throne room deep and daunting. It was as though the night sky had been pulled down from the heavens and now resided in this space. They had entered another tiny forest, filled with lush undergrowth. Above them stars twinkled, and a long mossy path lit by small lanterns, led up to a tiny throne upon which sat the Fairy Queen.

Wendy gasped at the beautiful fragility of her. On her head she wore a crown made of twigs and yellow flowers, and her gossamer dress shone white in the strange evening light. She was attended by several female fairies, flitting and attentive. They all stopped what they were doing to stare at Wendy with angry expressions. The Fairy Queen waved them off however, and all that were left were two strange body guards on either side of her throne, not quite as small as fairies with heads like toads and the company before her.

She gazed upon the group with wary eyes and spoke. Her voice was in the tongue of fairies, tinkling and musical. Soaring Eagle nodded at her. "Yes," he said. "They have come to see you about Neverland." He gestured for Peter to speak.

Peter had been around Tinkerbell long enough to know fairies enjoyed flattery, and so he stepped forward with a flourish and bowed low. "Beautiful Queen, we're here to see what can be done about Neverland outside of this mountain. Neverland is dying because of something I did, and I'm here to fix it." He of course did not mention that it was indeed Tinkerbell who had been the offender, but really he had been to blame as well. Instead of talking to Tinkerbell, knowing that her little body could only hold one emotion at a time, he had sent her away without another thought. He should have punished her correctly with a trial or with…something; with what exactly he didn't know. After all, he'd only been a child then, and since that action, everything had become complicated and beyond him. He only knew the way to protect Wendy was to act quickly. He supposed he loved her, even then.

The Fairy Queen smiled coyly at being called beautiful, and beckoned them forward. Only Peter strode to the foot of her throne, miniscule as it was but perched above his head. The others tentatively took only a few steps. She spoke in the language that only Peter and the lost boys could understand from years of being around Tinkerbell, leaving Wendy, John, Michael and Tiger Lily patiently at a loss. Tiger Lily had preferred animals and hunting over socializing with fairies, and had never bothered to learn their language.

"Peter Pan, I have heard of you," her voice like tiny chimes. "Many tales have my ears heard from the one who loved you." Guilt crept into Peter's throat. He nodded. "You have many questions," she continued. "I will answer them with help." She looked at Soaring Eagle. "You will fetch Greenblossom." He nodded smiling, and left the tree.

"No doubt you have heard the tale of Soaring Eagle and Greenblossom," she inquired.

"Some," said Peter.

She inclined her head. "There is magic here that is older than I. It was put in place before you or I came here, and we must abide by it. It rules us and our land. When Soaring Eagle came to find this place, it took him many days. He roamed over the mountain, until he was near death and did not wish to roam any longer. Our home was the last place he wanted to come to and only then is the entrance shown. Those who seek it will never find it." Of course! That explained both Wendy's and Nibs' seizures! Peter looked back at Wendy with a mix of relief and heart ache. She had really not wanted to come, but she had come for him. He didn't think he could appreciate her any more than he already did, but his love grew deeper in that moment. However, so did his guilt.

"Oh!" cried Nibs. He nodded his head along with the other lost boys. Wendy looked around in confusion, and so the lost boys began translating for them as the Fairy Queen continued.

"When the land begins to die, it is because of us. We do not wish it, it is beyond our control. No doubt you have heard we fairies live in a community so closely that we share thoughts, actions and feelings. When one is angry, we all feel its effects. We try to change the one's emotions, but jealousy is the most powerful. We cannot fight it for long."

"Excuse me, your Majesty," said Nibs. "But you don't seem to be jealous or angry."

She threw her head back and laughed, the sound pealing like hundreds of jingling bells at Christmas to Wendy's ears.

"I am their Queen little one, I am above such things. I am their alpha, their head. I affect them."

"Why couldn't you do anything then?" he asked pleadingly. He was thinking about Tink, how much he wanted this to be over so things could be the same again.

She became serious, her eyes focusing on his. "I have done all I can. I affect them, I cannot change them once things are out of my control. Anger is the most powerful." She sighed and turned back to Peter. "Murder is not accepted here," she said. He nodded. "No fairy is allowed to murder. But that means, we do not murder for murder, or any attempt to murder. But there must be a sacrifice. I want you to understand why I regret the magic that brought you here, and why I regret what must be done." She lifted her head as Soaring Eagle came back into the tree. Trailing behind him was a small green fairy. "I have brought your sister Greenblossom to you," he said.

"Tinkerbell," breathed Wendy.


	27. Chapter 27

There was a chorus of "Tinkerbell!" in a mix of confusion, joy, and anger. Some of the boys were overjoyed, and some, like John, felt his ire rising to the surface, angry for Wendy's sake.

Tinkerbell had not expected the dire situation that brought her to her sister to be Peter Pan. She swallowed feeling nervous. She wanted to disappear and leave this whole messy situation behind her. Wendy caught her attention out of the corner of her eye, and she shifted between shame and anger trying to feel something else. She finally settled upon anger making her little body turn red with fury. Why was Wendy here; the girl who ruined Peter? Why was she summoned like this to feel the regret and hurt again at Peter and Wendy? He cast her aside and now she had to face him. Why did this keep happening to her? She flew to the Queen's side, and crossed her tiny arms in front of her harrumphing.

Peter gaped at Tinkerbell, never feeling so many things at once before. He suddenly wished he was a fairy so he could only hold one emotion in at a time. He was overjoyed to see her, angry at her, tired, confused, pensive, guilty, hurt. It was too much. He was overwhelmed. What was he supposed to do?

Wendy breathed slowly. Seeing Tinkerbell again was not as difficult as she'd imagined. She had grown into a woman since she had last seen her and understanding began to grow in Wendy's mind. Here was a tiny creature, completely without control of her emotions. No, it was not acceptable that she had tried to kill Wendy, but then she could understand jealousy. She had felt such envy at Tiger Lily and Peter, that if she had not had more to live for, more to feel she might have let it carry her to a dark place.

Nibs clapped his hands. "Tink!" he cried. She looked at him, and turned back into her lovely shade of green, smiling. She twinkled a greeting at him.

"Sister," said the Fairy Queen. "They have come for answers, and you must give them."

"Sister?" asked Peter. "And Greenblossom? Tink, I'm so confused. Who are you?"

She sighed her little sigh. "You named me Tinkerbell," she said. "When you were a baby. Soaring Eagle named me Greenblossom." She felt herself glowing pink at the memories. "Remember the adventures we had Peter? Remember the fun?" She buzzed around growing excited. Then she saw Wendy again, and soured, shifting back into anger. "Until she came, until you brought her here." She scowled and pouted.

"Sister," said the fairy queen. "You must tell them what happened."

"Sister?" Peter asked again.

Tinkerbell exasperated began to chime very quickly. "Yes, she is my sister. I am the Fairy Queen's sister. I am a princess, and I must live with the knowledge that I will never be in control of myself the way she is." Tinkerbell said angrily. But then she softened, shifting to remorse. "She has been very patient with me." She flew to her sister and touched her arm, expressing regret. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for this."

The Fairy Queen nodded. "Continue Sister…"

"I don't know what else to say." She crossed her arms in front of her again, and turned her back on the group.

Peter knew it was his duty now to respond. She couldn't be made to think it was alright, even if he was feeling guilty. "Tinkerbell, you can't just turn your back to me. What you tried to do to Wendy was wrong, no matter how angry you felt. I knew you were jealous sometimes," he said as her head came around to look at him annoyed. "…with the mermaids, with Tiger Lily. I knew it bothered you and I let it, because it made me feel grown up. I know now that's not what growing up is about. I'm sorry. You mean so much to me Tink."

Tinkerbell sniffed little tears, leaking out with fairy dust. Oh Peter! How she loved him! Then she shifted back to anger. "Then why did you bring _her _here?" she asked, gesturing at Wendy.

Peter looked back at Wendy and smiled, "Because I love her." Wendy beamed back at him.

"Peter," she said quietly, saying all the things she felt in his name.

Tinkerbell flew into a rage. "Then you lied to me!" she cried, chiming like furious bells.

"I never lied to you Tinkerbell, I love you too, so much!" She quieted. "But not in the same way."

Tinkerbell hung her head in shame. She knew what she did was wrong. And now Neverland was feeling the affects of her stubborn nature. And there had to be a sacrifice. It was her fault. She began to cry in little tinkling spurts.

The Fairy Queen sighed. "What my sister will not tell you is this. She is in command of choosing the children to be brought to Neverland. And on occasion when one is deemed a strong leader, she will stay with them to report back to me on. To make sure none would try to take what is not theirs."

"What is that? Take what's not theirs?" asked Peter. The Fairy Queen surveyed him scrupulously.

"The power to influence." She waved her scepter. "I hold it in my hands. There is magic in it."

"The power to control living things," said Tiger Lily, remembering her father's words.

The Fairy Queen corrected her quickly. "Not to control. None can do that. But we underestimate the power of influence. There are many that would use such a thing for great evil. That is why it must stay here, hidden from unholy desires. Hidden away from man." She gazed at Peter. "My sister has said you are one that would not seek such things. She said you were unruly, selfish at times and wild, but that you had a good heart. You are trustworthy Peter Pan."

Peter wished he felt the same. He could not even be trusted to take care of Wendy properly, or even to prevent Tinkerbell from doing terrible things. He was not worthy of such high praise.

Wendy stepped forward to address Tinkerbell. She felt partly responsible as well. She wasn't to blame, but it was because of her that Peter banished Tinkerbell. And she could sense Peter's guilt. He had to know that the blame didn't lie on him. He had been a little boy. He had done the best he could.

"Tinkerbell," she said. The fairy locked sullen eyes on Wendy. "I'm sorry. I never set out to take Peter away from you. I understand your jealousy, the hurt of thinking someone stole away the affections of someone you love. I know that you think it was done to hurt you, but it wasn't. I wanted to meet you so badly." Tinkerbell looked at her with surprise. "It's true. I always wanted to meet a fairy, and when I saw you, I thought you were the loveliest thing I'd ever seen. I came to Neverland not just for Peter, but to get to know you too."

Tinkerbell blushed pink at the compliment. Despite the tension of the moment, Peter laughed a little. Tink could never resist a compliment.

"Please Tinkerbell, could you forgive me?" Wendy continued. "I've forgiven you." Tinkerbell stared at Wendy for long moments. She was tired of feeling angry. She was tired of hurting. She felt herself shifting to love again happily, letting go of the anger that consumed her tiny body. Could things go back to normal? She sighed. No, they couldn't. There had to be a sacrifice.

"I forgive you Wendy. I'm sorry. But you may not forgive me after you learn what must be done." She looked sadly at Soaring Eagle. "There must be a sacrifice." Peter translated for her and she looked back at Tinkerbell confused.

"What is this sacrifice?" asked Peter, sliding his arm around Wendy. "What does it mean? You said fairies don't murder."

"They do not," said the Soaring Eagle. "But the magic must be appeased. I sacrificed myself for the good of my people. You must stay behind here to live out your days with them. You will be young for many many years, and they will provide for you." He spoke pointedly at Peter and Wendy gripped him around the waist, tighter and tighter, horror growing on her face as the realization of what the Fairy Queen wanted became clear.

"No!" she cried. "NO! I won't let you take him! I won't let you go!" She clung violently to him and buried her face in his shoulder. She turned angrily to the Fairy Queen and wanted to run at her, but stood holding Peter, afraid if she let go he would be spirited away. Tinkerbell hung her head.

"So help me, if you touch him!" threatened Wendy.

"Does it have to be Peter?" came a tiny voice behind them. Nibs was walking forward and pushed past Wendy and Peter, astonishment on their faces.

"No!" cried Wendy. She grabbed his shoulders in her hands and spun him around, falling to the ground to look in his eyes. The thought of any of her children not being with her was too much to bear. "Nibs no! There has to be another way!"

"It's ok Wendy. I want to stay." He smiled and touched her face, nodding his head. "I love you, but I want to do this." He pulled out of Wendy's hands and came toward the throne. "Does it have to be Peter?" he asked again. Wendy stood and hugged Peter, her head shaking her disagreement back and forth against his neck. Peter looked on, brows furrowed in helplessness, trying to figure a way out of this dilemma.

The Fairy Queen stared at Nibs for a long while. "No, it does not have to be Peter."

Wendy collapsed to the ground, her heart aching in her chest, her sobs uncontrollable. She heard loud crying from the back of the room, and looked behind her to see Michael openly weeping at what was happening. She ran to him to hold him. How much comfort she could be to him in this moment was unknown, but she needed to try.

Tinkerbell chimed an apology.

She opened her mouth to speak but as she did, a commotion arose from outside. There was growling and clanging. The Fairy Queen nodded to her body guards, and they began to grow larger, becoming truly terrifying giant beasts.

Everything happened so fast, pirates rushed into the tree, amidst noise and scrambling. The dust settled, and when it did, Peter and the lost boys were on one side of the tree, gathered in front of the Fairy Queen's throne, and on the other, twenty or so pirates stood grimacing. And in front of them stood Captain Hook, gripping Wendy, his hook to her throat.


	28. Chapter 28

"Oh God, Wendy!" cried Peter. His eyes held pure horror at the sight of Hook, his arms around Wendy. He had failed. He had failed to keep her safe. He would not fail her now. He drew his sword and charged, but Hook pressed into her neck, and Peter stopped abruptly. "Hook if you hurt her, so help me I'll chop off more than your hand! I'll scatter you across Neverland, you filthy Pirate!" He wailed, half threatening, half pleading.

Hook gave an ugly chuckle. "Peter, you surprise me. You're body has grown up, but your words have not. Still impulsive, still a child."

"But man enough to kill you," he said darkly.

Wendy looked at Peter. Her eyes held fright, but she was calm. She trusted Peter. He couldn't see it yet, but she believed in him. She gave him a small reassuring smile. Whatever Hook did to her, he could never take away the fact that Peter loved her.

"I don't have time for games Peter, I'm here for what she carries," he gestured to the Fairy Queen, and her Toad-like body guards raised their spears. Hook sighed impatiently, and pressed his hook into Wendy's throat drawing blood. She winced, and groaned.

"NO!" cried Peter.

"Give me the power to control living things Queen, or she dies, and I kill you and take it for myself!"

"It's not the power to control living things Hook, it's only to influence," yelled Curly stepping forward, and then stepped back when Hook's menacing gaze met his eyes.

"Is that what she told you?" Hook laughed. "She's lying."

"No, it's true," said Tiger Lily.

Hook regarded her for a moment. "Why Tiger Lily, how lovely you look," he said. She put her head down and glared at him. "Quite the beautiful young lady; especially with no clothes on."

John felt the sting of his words. Hook had seen them. He had seen them in the hot springs, and they had led him here. His anger for the intrusion and his own stupidity overwhelmed him and he looked ashamedly at Tiger Lily. But then felt a burning masculine energy within him. He vowed he would get a piece of Hook himself to defend the woman he loved.

"Of course, I have a beautiful young lady in my arms right now." He bent his head to breathe in the scent of Wendy's hair. Peter could only watch helpless as the hook bared down on her neck, naming the ways in which he would destroy the man in front of him for touching Wendy.

Hook's hand left her arm and traveled up her body, Wendy squirming beneath his touch. "Please don't!" she said.

"Then give me what I want!" he shrieked.

"Give it to him!" cried Peter. "Please! Give it to him." He hung his head defeated.

The Fairy Queen regarded everything with composure. She gave Peter a shrewd glance that to him should have been significant, but he could see nothing past his own distraught. She beckoned him forward to take her scepter from her tiny hands. "Give him the scepter," she said.

Peter took it carefully from her and walked toward Hook, holding it out between his fingers. Hook pressed his metal appendage to Wendy's throat again, so Peter would know not to try anything.

"Take it my dear," Hook whispered in Wendy's ear.

Wendy stared into Peter's hurting eyes. "No," she said.

"TAKE IT!" he yelled, grabbing her breast with his hand and drawing blood again with his hook. Wendy cried out and Peter shoved the scepter into her hand.

"Take it Wendy!" said Peter, "Now let her go! LET HER GO!"

Hook let out a triumphant cackle and held Wendy tighter. "I think not."

"You promised!" Peter's face fell.

"I promised no such thing boy. I'm in the mood for taking things today and I think I'll just take this nubile morsel back with me as well," he said, kissing Wendy's cheek. He turned to his men. "Kill them all."

"NO!" screamed Peter. His sword began to blindly hack at whatever was in front of him as Hook backed out, holding a flailing Wendy in his arms.

The lost boys drew their swords and fighting ensued. It wasn't a game this time, it was life or death and they understood it. John plunged his sword deep into a pirate and pulled it out, turning to Tiger Lily who had drawn her dagger. He grabbed her waist and slammed her to him, kissing her with a passionate apology. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

She smiled at him for a brief moment, and pushed him away. "It is not the time John," she said, and ducked as a sword flew over her head. She moved with the nimbleness of a deer, and dove between the pirate's legs, tripping him, grabbing his sword and plunging it into his back in one swift movement.

John stood entranced by her. Then he saw a pirate grab Michael, ready to throw the child across the room. "NO!" he cried, rushing forward to save his brother. Tiger Lily turned to where John was running and a ferocity rose in her bones that she could not fathom at the sight of Michael crying, held above the buccaneer's head. She let out a warrior's cry and turned to John. "Catch him!" she screamed.

The pirate threw Michael toward the wall of the tree, and John leapt into the air, Michael slamming into him hard. They hit the floor skittering across the moss as it broke their fall.

Tiger Lily grabbed the pirates arm and swung herself around him to land on his back, slicing the dagger across his throat as he fell down dead.

John lay on his back, his spectacles crooked on his nose and his head raised to observe Michael sitting on his stomach. He had stopped crying, and instead held a gleeful smile. "That was sort of fun John! Can we do it again?" he asked, patting his brother on his chest. John let his head fall to the floor panting.

Tiger Lily rushed to them and grabbed Michael, holding his head to her chest. "Are you alright my little one?" she asked rocking him. She pulled him out to examine him for injuries.

"I'm ok Tiger Lily," he said kissing her on the cheek. John stood, still breathing heavily, walked over to them and wrapped his long arms around them, laying his cheek on Tiger Lily's head exhausted. There was no more noise and they surveyed the room, filled with dead pirates. The guards had slaughtered most of them and the boys had killed the rest.

There was silence however. The lost boys were gathered around in a circle looking down at something still and motionless on the ground. Nibs was laying on the floor of the throne room, blood seeping from a wound in his side.

"Not Nibs!" cried Tiger Lily. She put Michael down and ran to his side, kneeling to see how bad the wound was. "Where's Peter?" she asked the fairies, now gathering and buzzing above their heads.

The Fairy Queen spoke something to her fairies, and they flew off to gather the herbs she had asked for. She fluttered down to hover in front of Tiger Lily's face. She chimed at her in fairy language and Tiger Lily looked around, asking for clarification from the others.

"She says, he ran off to fight Hook," said Slightly. "She says to help him."

"What is to be done about Nibs?" she asked. The Fairy Queen chimed at her again.

"She said we'll heal him. Go Tiger Lily!"

Tiger Lily looked up at John, and he nodded pulling a sword from the ground. "Let's go," he said. She stood up and pointed at the boys.

"Stay with Nibs, look after Michael." She and John ran out of the tree after Peter.


	29. Chapter 29

_Annegirl, you crack me up! And Pan's kiss, your wish is my command! Hope you feel better!_

...

Peter had run through the mass of pirates, chopping and hewing through them blindly, thinking only of Wendy. _I have to get to Wendy_.

He was sure he'd killed at least one; his sword was red with blood. How or when it happened he wasn't sure. His eyes were wild; running, running…

Wendy in her anguished thrashing had slowed Hook down some. He had to struggle to hold onto her, but he pierced her again with his hook, and she had to settle a little. _Use your wits_, she thought, _not your distress_.

Peter came bounding after them, and caught them just before they entered the long tunnel that led outside. "Hook!" he bellowed, his low voice surprising him. He _had_ grown up. "Let Wendy go."

The pirate Captain turned on him, arms still around Wendy, hands clutching at her dress. "What will you do Peter? Risk your love to save your love; to have a little revenge?" He sneered into Wendy's cheek.

Peter paced forward, his sword drawn ready to strike. "If you let her go, I'll let you live and I'll let you go with the thing you most desire."

Hook turned Wendy's face so that his lips were close to hers. "What if my desires have grown? You can understand that, can't you Peter?" He relished the sting he knew Peter felt as he crushed his mouth to Wendy's. She struggled against the onslaught of his foul breath and unwelcome rough lips, hitting him as hard as she could.

Peter felt his heart fall. Her kiss. Hook had stolen her kiss meant only for him. "I'll kill you!" he cried.

"Unlikely," said Hook, ripping away from Wendy's mouth and pulled out the tiny scepter pointing it at Peter. "Do as I say and step away, boy."

Peter winced, ready for something. Something that he thought should have felt like his will changing, but nothing happened. He opened his eyes to Hook's confused face. "Step away!" he tried again pointing the scepter at Peter, willing him to turn around and walk. It didn't work. It didn't work!

Peter began to laugh. It didn't work!

"What's wrong with this damnable blasted thing!" cried Hook, shaking the scepter with rage. He stared at it miserably. Then clarity began to dawn on him. "The Fairy Queen," he said quietly. "It's the damn Fairy Queen!"

He raised his hook to strike Wendy, but then there was a blinding light, searing pain in his eye and red. "Aargh!" he screamed.

Tinkerbell had flown full force into Hook's face, stabbing him in the eye with her tiny dagger, over and over again.

"Damn Fairy!" he roared, flailing his arm in an attempt to catch the flying monster. Wendy wiggled out of his grasp, and ran as fast as she could into Peter's waiting arms. He held her so hard it hurt, pressing her closer and closer to him. Then he took her arms, and moved her behind him, pulling his sword again. He had unfinished business.

Hook grasped at his damaged eye with his good hand and kept the other open. Tinkerbell flew at him again, her small but sharp blade headed straight for his able eye.

"I don't believe in fairies," said Hook with a sneer pointing his remark at the charging fairy. Her flight pattern wobbled and her eyes rolled back in her head as she sank through the air to the ground. He lifted his boot to finish her off.

"No!" cried Peter, and rushed at him jumping in the air, making his sword plummet quickly toward Hook's head. The pirate caught it with his hooked hand, and pulled his own rapier, blades whistling through the air throwing sparks when they met.

Wendy ran to Tinkerbell and picked her up gently, hurrying back toward the line of trees to try to keep her safe and out from underfoot. She pulled her eyes up to watch Peter hacking away at the Pirate Captain. How could she help? How? She felt completely powerless without her dagger, and what good would it do anyway? She wasn't trained or experienced like Tiger Lily, or even John who had picked up the skill so easily from Peter. Then it hit her. _The Fairies!_

She put Tinkerbell down on a mossy rock next to one of the giant trees, and spoke over her. "I believe in fairies. I DO believe in fairies!" There was no way to know if this would help, but the quickest way to find out would be to get to the Fairy Queen and ask for assistance with her plan. She could do nothing for either Peter or Tinkerbell just sitting here. She turned and ran back to the Fairy Queen's throne room tree, just as John and Tiger Lily came bursting through the foliage into the clearing ringing with the sound of metal on metal.

"Peter!" cried Tiger Lily. She thrust herself forward, armed to fight the nefarious Hook alongside her friend.

John felt the blood surge to his face. Where was Wendy? What had Hook done with her?! He sprinted behind Tiger Lily, running full force at them. They hacked at him, surprised at the nimbleness of the man, catching each thrust and parry they threw at him. He began to tire though and they raised their weapons and brought them all down at the same time. All three swords and dagger clanged together, pushing against the other at an impasse in the air.

"Give up children! Even if you chase me out of this cave, I'll be back for the Queen. I'll have what I want, I'll have it and no one will be able to stop me!" He looked insane, blood seeping from his left eye and his head thrown back cackling maniacally. "You'll never stop me Peter! You're a child!"

Peter gave Tiger Lily and John a look that said _stand aside_. They obliged and he pulled his sword back. "I'm no child old man," said Peter. The two of them ducked as Peter's rapier sang through the air and caught Hook's sword hand with the sharp end of the blade, cutting it clean off. Hook shrieked falling to the ground. His sword and his hand flew through the air to land a good distance away in the dust.

"You'll never touch Wendy again with your unholy hand," he said, sword at Hook's throat. _It's over_, thought Peter. _It's finally over._

Hook stared defeated at the ground, pursing his lips, holding his stump of a hand in his hook. He had grown as desperate as a man could. He looked up at Peter. "Spare an old man his life Peter," he whimpered. "Spare me, and I'll leave. You've taken everything from me. Give me my life and I'll leave."

Peter stepped back and lowered his sword, providing the moment Hook was waiting for. He leapt up, sharp point bearing down on Peter to catch him in the face; until a song drifted through the atmosphere pushing into Hook's ears. A song haunting and melodic filled with promises of beautiful things. The hook stopped in midair, Peter wincing beneath it, his sword above his head.

The pirate let his head sway back and forth. _Stay?_ The fairies were asking. _Stay and they would give me what I want? Come away with them?_

Peter stared up at the entranced captain. What was this? The fairies were bewitching him! He scooted out from under his stilled hook and paced backward, letting the fairies work their magic on him. He stood with Tiger Lily and John, watching fascinated as Hook swayed smiling up at them. The fairies began to touch his eye, rubbing fairy dust in it. He blinked and continued to follow them slowly toward the trees. Several fairies picked up Hook's severed hand and flew with it behind him.

The three warriors looked at each other, breathing heavily, wondering at this strange turn of events. Peter slowly let a smile creep into his face. He turned to the others and let out a sigh of pure exhaustion and release of tension. He was not going to let anyone see him cry, so he started to laugh instead. John joined him and they held their stomachs doubling over letting it consume the empty space their dread had previously occupied.

"There is nothing funny Peter Pan!" said Tiger Lily angrily. "Hook still lives! We must go after him and finish him!"

Peter let his laughter die down and quieted. He put his hand on her shoulder. "What would that do?" he asked her seriously. "I don't want to be a man like him. Let him go. The fairies will keep him here for all eternity." He patted her, feeling weary in his bones.

"I still don't like it," she said, her eyes narrowed.

John looked at her, pulling her into his arms. "It's over my dear. We've won." She smiled at him. They'd won; together. She let herself feel the excitement the other two felt and let out a little squeal, pulling herself up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms and legs around John. She kissed him so that his spectacles were smashed between their faces.

Peter turned away at the embarrassing noises they had begun to make, when something like the color of honey caught his attention from the line of trees. Something soft, something precious to him. _Wendy._

Despite feeling like he had no strength left, he took off sprinting toward her as fast as his legs could carry him.


	30. Chapter 30

Wendy began to run toward Peter as well. They didn't even slow down knowing that they were going to crash into each other painfully. They didn't care. It didn't matter. They came together like a wave breaking on the shore, arms and legs knocking, tumbling to the ground as their lips crushed together. Pure painful bliss.

They landed on a mossy area, rolling under a hanging bush. Peter pinned her pelvis to pelvis staring into her eyes. _Are you all right?_ He was asking with no words. They didn't need any.

She gazed at him from under her eyelashes and smiled. Her hand went up to cup his head, sinking her fingers into his hair and drawing him down to her mouth. He kissed her with such tenderness she thought her insides might explode.

Peter delighted in her safety. He took joy in having her in his arms and not Hook's. His heart dropped when he thought of the pirate's hand wandering over Wendy's skin.

Peter pulled back a little. Hook had grabbed her and touched her in places only he had seen. The thought made him ache with sorrow. He would not be a man like that. He would not just take from Wendy, he would give. But he had let it happen. He should have had his arm around her the whole time; he should have done his duty to her. He should have protected her.

Wendy let herself come back to her senses, as her eyes rolled forward. They had been pushed back by the onslaught of Peter's loving touch.

"What's the matter Peter?" she asked stroking his hairline, trying to give him comfort.

"It's just… I should have…" His eyes were full of emotion. "I should have…"

"You two, come out from under there," said John standing above them. "You need to see this Peter."

Wendy touched his face, imparting to him that they would finish their discussion later. He kissed her and rolled off, pulling her up to her feet. They looked around and saw the fairies, their wings humming, gathering from all corners of the forested cave, flying toward where Wendy had lay Tinkerbell. They were swirling and glittering over her.

"What's going on?" asked Peter.

Wendy felt horror in her stomach. "Tinkerbell."

"Tink!" He had almost forgotten, adding to his already considerable amount of guilt. "Tink! Oh God, Tink!"

He ran to where she lay, the fairies singing over her with haunting, sorrowful words. He knelt down over her. "I believe in fairies, I believe in fairies!" he cried. Her light was out. "I believe in you Tink, I believe in you!" Nothing was happening. He felt all of his anguish consume him and he sobbed into his hands, uncontrolled, nothing to be done. He jerked his head up angrily at the singing fairies. "Do something!" he yelled at them. "Save her! Do something!" They kept singing their funeral song, the melody ripping Peter apart from the inside. He stood imploring them.

The lost boys had come out now into the clearing. Nibs, his hand over his side, where the wound still hurt a little walked toward her slowly, his eyes swollen and filled with hurt. "Tinkerbell," he whispered. "Oh Tink." He let his tears flow quietly, putting his hand on Peter's arm, trying to steady himself. Peter looked down at Nibs, his own sorrow too much to bear alone. He knelt and let Nibs cry into his shoulder.

Wendy, heartbroken, sank to the ground beside them and wrapped her arms around them. Then the lost boys all gathered around, uniting their grief, all a family.

John put his arm around Tiger Lily's shoulders and looked sadly down into her face. Why wasn't it working? They had all been saying that they believed in fairies under their breath. Was that not enough? Was that an old wives tale?

He saw the fairy Queen hovering above Tinkerbell mournfully. He carefully tiptoed over to where the fairies had begun to swirl around her, sprinkling her with their fairy dust. They seemed to be preparing her for burial.

"Ma'am," he said addressing the Fairy Queen. She looked up at him with her heartbreaking eyes and nodded. "What is to be done? Can anything be done? Can we bring her back with our belief?"

She chimed at him, her small voice teeming with grief. Even he could recognize that without knowing the language.

"She says no," said Soaring Eagle, stepping out from behind a tree. His hand was over his chest and he looked heart sick.

"Why not?" asked John, looking at his anguished family.

The Fairy Queen chimed again.

"She says there is only so much that a fairy can give. Only so many times it can sacrifice itself. She sacrificed herself many times for me." He looked sadly at the ground. "This is permanent." He let a tear fall from his eye. He hadn't gotten to see Tinkerbell as much since she had been with Peter but over the last few months, he had had much more time with her again. They had reminisced about old times. He'd long ago forgiven her for trying to kill his beautiful wife. Morning Dove had died before he made his trek to the mountain to save his people and his Greenblossom had many times told him of her regret and the ways she had tried to make it right; watching over his people while he lived with the fairies, reporting back to him on how they thrived. This was his loss too.

The Fairy Queen touched his cheek and removed his tear with her tiny hand. She flew down to her sister, and placed the tear on her stomach and kissed her cheek. She fluttered up to the two men, and began talking quickly as if remembering something, her voice ringing with what sounded to John like slight hope.

Soaring Eagle began to smile a little. "She says the fact that we all love her enough to cry could be cause for hope." He paused as she continued. "If we who love her all give her a tear, they can put her in the Place of the Fairies. If she remains there, the magic might be enough to revive her."

The Fairy Queen tinkled at him sadly, correcting him.

"Forgive me. It will not revive her, it will rebirth her as a new fairy. She will be Greenblossom but she will have no memory of us, of her past life." He looked disappointed at the thought. "But she will live." He smiled what John now thought to be a wonderful smile. Soaring Eagle certainly had life in him and an optimism that was hard to shake.

John walked over to the others, telling them what the Fairy Queen had told him. The lost boys all quickly gathered the tears on their faces before they dried up with renewed anticipation and rushed over to give them to Tinkerbell. They felt a lift in their spirits. Tinkerbell might not remember them when she woke up, but they would have new adventures!

Peter stood slowly and took Wendy's hand and they walked over together to the still fairy and deposited their gift. To have Tinkerbell not remember him, not remember rescuing him, not remember who he was to her was too much. He hung his head. He was tired.

They stood like that over her for an hour, letting the fairies prepare her for her sleep in the Place of the Fairies. They learned it was in the heart of the mountain. A place sacred to them; the place where when the first baby laughed, and it shattered into millions of pieces that that was where the pieces had gone. A room filled with shining crystal laughter.

When the time came to say goodbye to her, Peter found he didn't have the stomach for it. It was too much. He nodded at Tinkerbell as they flew her on a bed of flowers away into the forest, and sank to the ground to sit quietly thinking.


	31. Chapter 31

_So sorry it took so long! I've been on vacation, no where near a computer. I haven't abandoned you! But we are getting to the end. Problem is I don't know how soon that will be :) Enjoy!_

...

Peter awoke to dim light. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and tried to get his bearings. He was in a tree trunk. Unlike the Fairy Queen's throne room, this one was furnished simply. He lay on a bed of pine needles covered by a soft animal skin. There were feathers and leather clothes stacked neatly on one side. He concluded he's been layed in Soaring Eagle's dwelling.

Slowly, slowly memories began to drift back to him, consciousness miserably taking back his mind. Hook grabbing Wendy; defiling her with his hands and mouth, himself completely powerless to stop him. Nibs sacrificing himself for them, when Peter should have traveled to the fairy kingdom alone.

Tinkerbell. Oh Tink!

He let his swollen eyes rest despondently in his hands, his heart heavy with what he'd done, what he'd let happen.

He heard a soft murmur from the doorway. "Peter darling, it's me."

Wendy entered, glowing like a flame. Her skin looked to Peter like it contained the very essence of light. Her hair was glossy and fell soft and shining against a white gossamer dress, flowing in swirls around her. "Wendy," he breathed barely a whisper. He lifted his hand, longing to touch the softness, the beauty that she was. She was like cool water to a parched heart. But his hand fell. How could he expect her to stay for any length of time with him. He was guilty of hurting her, hurting his men, killing Tinkerbell. No, he felt like scum and to be in Wendy's presence right now was too much. He turned his face away.

"Peter, Peter, what's the matter?" She sat down next to him, placing her hand on his arm. He shrugged it away and turned his head even more.

Wendy was hurt. She had bathed in the fairies shining pool; she had let them dress her in a dress that left her feeling delicate and desirable. Waiting for three days for Peter to wake up, wanting to look perfect for him. Letting him know how much he meant to her. That she loved him still, despite everything and through everything. Now he was acting like a petulant child. She took a deep breath.

"Peter Pan, tell me what's wrong this instant!"

He whispered something inaudible. She tried again, placing her hands on his shoulders. He didn't shrug them off this time.

"Please don't leave me out of your plans Peter," she begged, letting her cheek rest on his back.

He felt her tears through his shirt, and hearing his own words used against him, he turned back to face her. "Wendy, how can I look at you? You're so beautiful, and I couldn't save you. I couldn't save Tinkerbell. I'm not worth anything to anyone."

Wendy felt the sting of his words cut through to her heart. Not worth anything to anyone? He was worth everything to her! She began to cry on his behalf; for the things he believed about himself, for the man she saw in front of her that he couldn't see. She had to try and show him.

"You listen to me Peter Pan. You have saved me in everyway imaginable. I love you and you mean everything to me. And you can be damn sure that I'll be here, by your side for all eternity to make sure you believe it."

Peter's eyes flew open at Wendy swearing and smiled in spite of himself. "Why do you love me Wendy?" he asked, searching her eyes. She paused a moment, letting her lips turn up as she thought of many reasons.

"You're impossibly handsome," she said kissing his forehead. He smirked at the turnabout but let her continue.

"You care about people." She kissed his eyelids. He let her words heal him, the guilt ebb away only a little.

"You're fierce yet gentle." She kissed his earlobe, letting her tongue tease it, listening to his soft sigh in response.

"You're a wonderful father," her fingers traced the line of his nose delicately.

"You fight for what you believe in," She kissed his neck, feeling the stubble of his chin on her face, the smell of him filling her senses.

"You believe in me," she said kissing his palm, and placing it on her cheek.

"Always," he whispered.

"I love you," she said, and he closed the gap between her mouth and his, tasting her sweetness, pulling her body close to his. Then he was leaning her back down on the bed. He let his tongue and his lips tell her how he felt, imparting his desire, his admiration, his love. Her eyes looked into his as he continued his ministrations to her mouth, the feeling in them too much to look away from.

"I love you, I love you," he somehow managed to whisper against her. His hand went down to her waist, pulling her hips to his, holding her steadfast against him. She felt him move over her, sliding the dress further and further up the legs that he adored.

"I want you," she breathed. Peter's heart swelled. She wanted him. They began their dance, filling each other, clinging to each other.

When he drove her over the edge, her arms grasped at his back, the need for them to be together always overwhelming her senses. She clung to him and whispered in his ear, "Don't let go."

"I won't," he said. "I can't."

Breathing heavily, he moved her over his arm, side by side. She snuggled in close to him, their foreheads pressed together. He let his hand roam down her arms, down her side and up again. Her fingers gripped the front of his shirt. They fell asleep like this, in familiar arms in an unfamiliar bed.


	32. Chapter 32

Wendy awoke to stroking fingers and intense eyes staring into hers. She smiled, but Peter did not smile back.

"Peter?" she questioned.

"Wendy lets go back to London."

Wendy jumped a little at the abruptness of Peter's words. "Go back?" She sat up, her mind spinning. "Take me back? Take me back and leave? Did I do something wrong?" She was too panicked for tears.

"No, no!" Peter sat up next to her his hands on her arms. "Let's go back, together."

"What? Why?" She felt confused, foggy. But part of her thrilled inside. She had resigned to stay in Neverland forever with Peter having adventures, loving each other into eternity. But part of her missed her parents so desperately and the ache wouldn't go away. She wished her mother had been close when she began to have all of her strange feelings about Peter. She wished for her steadfast confidant. And she wished for the strong arms of her father to reassure her that everything was going to be alright

She'd never said anything about it to Peter, afraid he would suggest she return home without him but now here he was offering to go with her.

"To visit? Oh, that would be wonderful! I've missed my parents more than you can imagine. Thank you Peter!"

He sighed "You misunderstand me Wendy." He stood, pacing to the wall to lean on it with his arm. "I mean let's go there, you and I and start a life. Start living."

Wendy stood, her heart thumping. The boy who refused to grow up was now asking for that very thing. "Why?" she asked.

Peter sighed and turned. "A lot of reasons. Some I'll tell you, some I'll keep. But I can't stay here any longer pretending I had nothing to do with Tinkerbell's death. I can't go anywhere without thinking of her, some adventure we had together. And then there's you." He walked over to her, taking her hands in his. "You deserve a life. You deserve to have children and live out a normal existence. I can't give you that here. I want to experience growing up. We'll stay here forever, existing and I want to live," he said. "…with you."

"Oh Peter." Wendy stroked his face with her thumb. She sighed. She wanted to, and she could refuse him nothing. "Alright. Let's do it, let's go back." He grinned with an open happy mouth and kissed her. She thought about how only days ago, with that same smile he would have spun her around. Now he kissed her with a man's grip on her waist, and ferocity in his lips. He lifted her a little on her tiptoes though to angle her head better. He set her back on the ground and was about to go in for another kiss, when Wendy stopped him.

"What about the boys?" she asked, placing a finger on his lips. He paused and pondered.

"They'll come with us of course! They'll be our children!" he stated pleased with himself. Grown up, but still Peter Pan.

"We can't force them to go," she said miserably stroking his chest. "What if they want to stay?" Her heart broke at the thought.

"We'll deal with that when we come to it. But my mind is made up. Is yours?" he questioned, searching her face for doubt.

"Yes," she said. "It's the right thing for us to do."

He pulled her closer, his chin resting on her head.

They stood there just enjoying the touch of each others bodies and the sound of each others breaths, until Peter thought of something.

"Wendy," he said pulling away. "You deserve so much. There's something I have to do. Come with me."

"What is it Peter?" she asked, pulled along behind him, his hand gripping hers tightly.

Peter ran out trying to get the bearings of where he was, and saw a grouping of birch trees, golden and green with the sun filtering through, hazy and shimmering. He smiled and drew her into the trees holding onto her hands. He stared down into her eyes with such adoration she had to look away. He brought her face back to his with his finger.

"Wendy," he began in a soft voice. "You are the sun and the moon to me." Wendy blushed. "If you were not here, my life would be meaningless. You've taught me how to love, what it looks like. You make me want to be a better leader. You've saved me." She smiled up into his eyes.

"I love you, and I want to be with you forever."

He knelt down slowly and Wendy took a sharp intake of breath. Where did he learn to do this? On his knees, he held tightly to her hands.

"Wendy Darling, will you marry me?"


	33. Chapter 33

_Missemilydarling, there's more! Thanks for all your awesome reviews guys! They inspire me!_

_..._

John was speechless when they told Tiger Lily and himself. This was all he wanted for his sister; Love, marriage, life. But the news that they were leaving Neverland was positively shocking. Neverland had everything that interested him, everything that he loved engulfed in magic. He always knew he must return to England but now that the time was here he found he hadn't the stomach for thinking about it.

D_ear, sweet, nubile, gorgeous Tiger Lily_. He had thought so many times about what their life would look like in London. He thought of Tiger Lily in a corset and a hoop skirt, her luscious black hair bound high on her head in a bun. Completely preposterous! That was not her, and he would never resign himself to caging her in such a life. Having tea every afternoon; conversing with polite society. Never again free to run wild in the sun.

The more he thought about it, the more it became apparent how very different they were. How their paths seemed to be forking in opposite directions. Never had he felt so distressed. If this was growing up, he wanted no part of it.

Peter and Wendy had wanted to wait to tell the boys they were leaving, so they could have some time to make the decision for themselves. They did tell them about their engagement however. When that announcement was made, John waited for a moment during the celebrating voices and throng of little hands wrapping themselves around the couple to turn and walk into the forest by himself.

Only Tiger Lily noticed his silent retreat. She knew his reason. He was returning with Peter and Wendy. The ache of this knowledge throbbed in her chest like the beat of a drum and she felt sick to her stomach. She would not cry. She had to be strong for Michael, who had only left her arms to congratulate His sister and Peter. He then dutifully climbed back up Tiger Lily to give her a tight squeeze and point "onward" with his chubby finger to finish their game. At least, she would be strong in front of him. She felt herself crumbling slowly like stale bread.

But then, why should she not go with him? _Because he doesn't think I belong_ _in his world_, she thought. Now there was a mix of anger and betrayal with her sadness. And yet there was still hope. Maybe she could change his mind. She would show him she could fit in. She would show him she could be friends with Wendy. She began to make plans to find out everything she could from Wendy about London.

So many things had happened while Peter slept for the three days, lost in his exhaustion. So much of the magic the Fairy Queen spoke of had been undone by the events with the Pirates. Since Tinkerbell's death, the magic that had bound Soaring Eagle had been nullified. He was a free man again. Tiger Lily rejoiced with him, and he agreed to go back to the village with her to live out the rest of his life with his descendents. It was a strange turn of events and somewhat of a paradox, but one that everyone could be happy about. All of the lost boys had grown to love him over past few days. He was a soul joyful and happy and no one could resist being around him. He knew the best games and he was always laughing.

Hook had become the sacrifice needed to complete the law of the fairies. Since he did not comply willingly like Soaring Eagle had for his people, they were keeping him enchanted. A constant melody was sung over him in a tree trunk cell guarded by several of the large toad like guards deep in the heart of the mountain.

They were all free to go.

They took a leisurely day to get ready to go back to the Indian village enjoying the little rivers and the birdsong and the dazzling colors of the cave.

When it came time to leave, the fairies lined them all up to say good bye. Each one of them was given a gift; a sharp knife or a leather belt or a jewel toned beetle to keep as a pet. To Wendy they gave the gossamer dress they had made for her to be her wedding gown. To Peter they gave something no one could see, wrapped in a cloth. The Fairy Queen tucked it into his hand and winked at him.

When at last it came time for Tiger Lily to receive a gift however, there was nothing physical to give her. Everyone else was marveling at each others gift, and paid no attention. The fairy queen fluttered to her ear and whispered something seriously. She flew away slowly looking into Tiger Lily's eyes, nodding her head. Tiger Lily's face was white as a sheet.

They all said goodbye to the fairies, and began their trek home to certainty and uncertainty.

As they made their way out of the cavern into the long passage that would lead them out into the sun, Wendy noticed Tiger Lily's silence and the fact that John was walking ahead with Peter. Maybe they'd had a fight?

Wendy sidled next to her, and slung her arm through the Indian Princess'. "Is anything the matter Tiger Lily?" she asked.

Tiger Lily looked at her with wide eyes, still in shock. "I… I don't know how to tell you," she said. "I am afraid that you will all be angry with me."

Wendy patted her arm, reassuringly. "I won't be angry, you can tell me anything! We're almost sisters," she said with a smile. How true those words were thought Tiger Lily.

"I will tell you Wendy. I need help," she whispered desperately. "I am with child."


	34. Chapter 34

Wendy stopped in her tracks. Pregnant? Tiger Lily? Her and John? She had no idea. She knew that they loved each other, but they had taken it as far as she and Peter had and this shocked her. Her little brother? She looked ahead at Peter and John walking together conversing. She had not really taken notice of how very tall he was, taller than Peter. How long and lanky he was, and how handsome he'd become. It all hit her at once like a tidal wave.

She looked back at Tiger Lily, still staring at her with wide frightened eyes. Wendy couldn't help the smile that grew on her face.

"Tiger Lily! You are going to have a beautiful baby! How utterly and completely wonderful!" she squealed. Tiger Lily motioned for her to be quiet. "Oh, yes, sorry," said Wendy apologetically. "But oh, how wonderful! I'll be Aunt Wendy! How can I not be excited for you?"

Tiger Lily looked down at the ground. "I am not excited. This is all too much," she said as her eyes filled with tears. "John is leaving to go back with you and I'll be left alone by myself. I cannot bear it!" She tried to hold in her crying, but her body began to convulse. Wendy put her arm around her and pulled her off to the side of the tunnel to speak with her alone behind a large bush.

"Oh Tiger Lily, you will come with us! I'm sure you and John will speak of it when we reach the village, and then you can tell him about the baby…"

"I cannot tell him Wendy!" she exclaimed. "He will hate me, he will be angry with me!" She shook her head hopelessly.

"No, no! I know my brother, he won't hate you. Besides he's half responsible. He needs to be honorable and face it. You have to tell him Tiger Lily.

Tiger Lily took several deep breaths. "No. I will not tell him. He does not need this responsibility. He will go back to your home, and I will raise our child here, in the ways of my people." Wendy opened her mouth to protest, but Tiger Lily grabbed her arm. "Please do not tell him Wendy. I beg of you! I plead with you as my friend."

Wendy shut her mouth, knowing herself unable to convince her of anything else at this time; maybe later after the information had sunk in deeper. She nodded her head.

"Your secret is safe with me Tiger Lily. It's not my story to tell." She gave the Indian Princess a long deep hug, and they turned to walk out behind the others, Wendy's arm still around her shoulders.

John had heard Tiger Lily's burst of emotion echo through the cave. He swiveled his head briefly to see her crying in Wendy's arms. He turned back around. She knew. She knew he was leaving. And she was just as torn up inside as he was. Everything in him wanted to shut her out. Not stretch the pain any longer than it had to be. It would be easier for him to say nothing, ignore his feelings and move on.

But he couldn't do that to her. His love for her prompted him to desire closure for her. He would have to be honest about his plans, and about the two of them. He owed her that much. He thought about their night in the hot springs. It was the best moment of his life. He was wanted, he was desired and he was the man he wanted to be when he was around her. How could he give that up for the stuffiness of smoggy London? He would stop being selfish and think of what was best for her, that's how.

He shook his head and focused on something else. Peter was retelling a story about one of his best hunting trips, so he tuned into that and shut every other noise in his head off.

They emerged into the sunlight. The twins ran ahead, leaping and twirling, happily breathing the fresh air. They had felt stuffy and claustrophobic in the cave despite the beauty of it. Curly and Nibs followed behind, and then Slightly.

They all noticed the green of the forest. It was not as lifeless as it had seemed on their way to the fairy cave. The trees were sprouting new blossoms; there was ripe fruit all around them. It worked! It had worked! Peter scooped Wendy into his arms.

"We did it Wendy! We did it!" He pressed his lips to hers.

John kept stealing glances back at Tiger Lily. He wanted to do the same as Peter, embrace her and kiss the life out of her. It would do neither of them any good, but his heart yearned for at least a smile. But her face was stone like. She stared straight ahead without looking back at him. _Confounded stubborn woman_, he thought. But he smiled. It was one of things he loved about her, as much as it annoyed him.

They stopped for dinner halfway all sitting down in a clearing, the same one that John had told Tiger Lily he loved her only a few feet away from. This would be their place to talk. He couldn't wait until they got to the Indian village. The stars were beginning to come out, and the sky was getting hazy with the sunset. He feared they would be too tired to talk by the time they got to the village. Better to get it over with now.

He motioned for her to follow him. She looked at him for a moment, but turned her head to speak with Wendy.

He cleared his throat. She didn't even look up.

"Tiger Lily," he tried. "May I please speak to you privately?"

She kept her gaze forward. "We do not have anything to speak of right now John, I am talking to Wendy."

John and Tiger Lily had the attention of the whole company now, the boys looking nervously at the Indian Princess. Her mood swings were notorious, and John was pushing the wrong buttons.

"Please Tiger Lily. I must speak with you now."

Her face became pursed and tight, and she looked at Wendy for help, but did not find it. "Go on Tiger Lily," Wendy urged. "We can finish our discussion _later_."

Tiger Lily in a huff stood and walked past John into the forest. He took a deep breath and followed her.

"Tiger Lily, I must speak with you," he said.

"You have said that already. Stop using your words and tell me what you want to say."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted him first.

"Actually I will tell _you_ what _I_ have to say." She turned her back on him. "I know you are going back with Peter Pan and Wendy. I have already made peace in my heart. I will stay here, and you will go. That will be the end, and we will never speak of it again." She hugged herself and pivoted her head slightly to look at him out of the corner of her eye.

John stood gaping at her with an open mouth. "I, well I," he started. What she proposed was his idea, but hearing it from her was like a knife wound. He never realized it would be so difficult. "Tiger Lily I… I'm sorry. I love you, desperately. But we're so different." She flinched. "I just don't see how we can make this work. You're free and wild, and I'm well…"

"Please stop talking!" she pleaded, hurt showing in every word. "I cannot bear it. I have said what I want to say, and you have said yours. Please leave me alone." She hung her head, tears streaming down her face.

John could barely stand to see her hurt let alone crying. He decided to respect her request and leave her to be by herself for a while.

He walked back into the clearing, his face worried and tense. He sighed and moved to sit down, but Wendy grabbed his arm pulling him off to the side.

"So she told you."

He took a deep breath. "Yes. I'm going to go, and she'll stay and there's an end to it," he said sadly.

Wendy smacked him hard on the arm. "Ouch!" he cried. "Wendy, what the devil?!"

"John Darling, you are a Rake! Take responsibility for yourself! Leaving that poor girl in her predicament! Why you ought to be horse whipped!"

"Wendy! What are you talking about? What predicament?" he asked rubbing his arm.

"Why your chi…" she trailed off feeling suddenly sick to her stomach at her betrayal. "She didn't tell you."

John's face turned white. "My what? Didn't tell me…?"

"I… I shouldn't have… Oh John, I'm sorry," she said putting her hands on either side of her face.

He clenched his fists and took off running back to where he'd just come from. "Tiger Lily! Tiger Lily!" he called. But she was not there.

"Oh God, Tiger Lily!"

He kept running, following as best he could the desperate tracks she had made running through the forest. Normally he would have never seen them, she was so swift and careful, but through her grief she must have had no time for care.

He followed, pushing branches and fronds out of his way until he came into another clearing. The moon was high and bright, lighting her silhouette perfectly as she stood on a rock next to a streaming waterfall. Her arms were folded, and she was staring into the water.

"Tiger Lily!" he shouted.

She turned with frightened eyes to watch him climb up next to her. He stared down into her face for a moment, as she tried best she could to look back into his. "You know," she said. "Oh John, I am sorry, I…"

She stopped talking as John dropped to his knees in front of her, wrapping his long arms around her waist and pulling her firmly against him. His head rested against her stomach as tears made their way from his eyes collecting on his spectacles and soaking into her dress. "Oh, my sweet Tiger Lily!" he whispered.

She began to cry, letting out everything she had bottled up inside. "Oh John, John," she said, stroking his hair with her fingers.

He wiped his eyes, putting his glasses on top of his head and stood. He placed his hands on either side of her face staring down adoringly into her eyes, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "You are not angry with me?" she asked, her hands gripping his wrists.

He kissed her forehead tenderly. "You are carrying my child," he said. "How could I be angry? Frightened maybe, but not angry. Oh Tiger Lily, why were you not going to tell me?" He hugged her close, his head resting on hers.

She sighed. "Because you have your life to live, and I have mine. How will we explain such a thing in your world? It will be hard enough to explain it in mine." She grew sad again. "You are going back to London, and I must stay here. I wish for our child to be raised in the ways of my people." Despite knowing she would have to let go of him eventually, she took all the comfort she could from his body, warm and firm against hers.

In that moment, John knew exactly what he must do.

"Damn high society and damn London," he stated resolutely looking down into her face. "I won't leave you darling. I'm staying here with you and our baby in Neverland."


	35. Chapter 35

_Not the end yet! Getting closer, but believe me, you'll know it when you see it! I love writing for John and Tiger Lily, so this is an ode to them. Hopefully you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them! Awesomely sweet reviews guys! Thank you!_

...

"John, I cannot let you do that," said Tiger Lily pulling away from him.

"It's too late my dear, it's done. I'm staying. I won't leave you." He stroked her cheek with his hand and bent to kiss her tenderly. "You mean more to me than anything."

"Besides," he said embracing her again. "I don't think I'm cut out for stuffy London anyhow. This is the place I want to live and explore and learn about. All with you."

Tiger Lily could no longer protest. She didn't want to. She couldn't imagine facing her father alone without John. Visions of their life together were passing through her mind. Hunting together, living together, and sleeping in the same dwelling. Their children would run barefoot through the forest: dark like her and long and tall like John. It was a beautiful thought.

"You will make a good father. You remind me of my own."

John looked at her incredulously. "Me?" he laughed. "In what way do I remind you of your father? He is a great man; intimidating and grand. I don't exactly have the presence he has."

"No, that's true," she said admittedly. John sighed. "But you are brave. You are true and fair, and you could be a wise leader."

"Not much of a leader am I? I led you straight into this situation."

She smiled at him. "Is that what you have thought? I believe it was the other way around. You followed me like a hungry, lost puppy."

He scoffed. "No, you couldn't keep your hands off me. I think you have it wrong princess."

"That is untrue!" she exclaimed with mock disdain.

"Like now. Just try to tell me you don't want me to kiss you."

"I do not." She stepped away and crossed her arms in front of her. Her heart was beating faster now, and they stared into each other's eyes intently.

He lowered his voice. "Come now Tiger Lily. Tell me this does nothing for you." He unfolded her arms and took her hand, placing a slow kiss on each finger.

"I feel n-nothing." She had trouble making her eyes focus now. But she was determined to win.

"And you definitely don't enjoy doing this, right?" He placed her hands on his chest. She tried to keep her hands still, but they felt so good against the firmness of his skin, running over the fine hairs scattered here and there.

She gave in and let her fingers caress him as he looked down at her. "You are my weakness," she said.

"And you're mine," he answered. "Since the moment I saw you as a little boy."

"I love you John," she whispered.

He smiled. "I love you too."

He looked down into her face trying to decide something, then looked around tentatively, checking that there was no one around. He took her hand in his and hopped off the rocks, pulling her down with him. He took her waist in his fingers and asked the question with his eyes. She smiled at him and slid her arms around his neck, placing a hot kiss over his heart.

They sank slowly to the earth, holding each other on their knees. She pulled his spectacles off his head and threw them to the side. He let his hands wander over her, over her back, cupping her rear, and then to the front to place them over her stomach. He bent to kiss her womb that held such treasure. She pushed her fingers into his hair, massaging his scalp. "My baby is in there," he said in wonder.

He felt overcome with happiness and fear all at once and had to feel the solidity of her; her strength. He came up and attacked her mouth with his. He drew his hands up to place them over her breasts. She sucked her breath in hard and let her head fall back as he teased them with his fingers. "You do have magic John," she breathed.

He laid her down on the soft moss by the rocks. He went to the hem of her dress, and began to pull it up, up until it was completely off, leaving the moon to highlight the contours of her body, ready and waiting for him. He felt so much surer of himself this time. Not awkward, not clumsy and craving release just for himself. This time he would make love to her, not just with her.

He laid himself over her, kissing her face, working down her neck, down her chest. He lingered there, knowing how it made her body move and shake under the onslaught of his mouth. It was the only time he'd ever known her to be completely powerless, and it made him swell with pride knowing he was the only one who could and would ever do it.

"I need to kiss you John, please come back up here to me," she begged. He obliged, and quickly came up to capture her mouth with his, plundering it with his tongue. She wrapped her legs around him, urging him to enter her. They began to move together, crying out at the stars, knowing their situation to be far from perfect, but not caring one fig in that moment.

..

"I have a question," John asked, looking down at the satisfied princess. He had propped himself up on his elbow, allowing all of Tiger Lily to be in his sight.

"Ask."

"Well, I was just wondering how you knew we were having a baby? It can't have even been a week since we first consum… I mean when we did… You know."

"Since we first made love? John you are still a little boy in so many ways."

"Hey!" he exclaimed softly, pushing her gently with his fingers.

She laughed. "The Fairy Queen told me."

"How did she know?" he asked.

She sighed. "How did you grow so fast from a silly boy into a handsome man? Magic."

"Oh. Well, I suppose that's true. But we won't really know for sure for… a while."

"I am sure," she said.

"How?"

"I feel her."


	36. Chapter 36

"Her?" he asked. "HER? We're having a girl?" John grabbed her waist and rolled her over and over through the grass, laughing and smiling.

He stopped, pinning her tenderly beneath him and stroked her face with his hand. "Now how do you know that?" he asked.

"I just know. You wait and see." She kissed him.

"Well, I guess I'll have to!"

"She will be fierce, and smart; quick and beautiful. I love her."

"So do I."

He bent to kiss her again, when he heard Wendy's voice calling for them.

"John! Tiger Lily! Where are you? Please answer! Is everything all right?" Both John and Tiger Lily leapt up to run for their clothes, just as she came into the clearing with Peter.

"OH!" Wendy gasped and turned away her hand over her eyes, as the two pulled their respective articles of clothing over their bodies.

Peter burst out laughing. "I told you Wendy, they were probably discussing something important!" He fell to the ground with his joke.

Tiger Lily glared at him as she smoothed the leather of her dress over her legs. She mustered all the dignity she could, and walked past a laughing Peter and a blushing Wendy into the forest. She gave Peter a little kick in the side, which made him double over even more.

"John, I'm sorry..." said Wendy turning, her eyes still covered.

"You can uncover your eyes dear sister, I'm dressed now," said John, pulling his shoes on.

She took a deep breath and removed her hands, still blushing furiously. "I came to apologize, and I never meant…"

"It's alright Wendy, I'm glad you told me."

"Well, we were worried so we came to find you…"

Peter was still laughing on the ground, holding his knees, rocking back and forth. "They seem fine to me!" he cried.

She frowned angrily at him. "It's not funny Peter Pan! You don't even have the decency to be embarrassed!"

John's lips began to twitch, and he let a smile slowly creep onto his face. He put his hand on his forehead and began to chuckle along with Peter letting his English sensibilities drift away. After all, he was a Neverlandian now. He had to stop taking himself so seriously. Both he and Peter were now laughing uncontrollably on the grass.

Wendy huffed and followed Tiger Lily into the forest, leaving the boys to rollick with amusement.

Peter wiped the tears from his eyes. "John! John I'm sorry! But I think I needed that!" he let his laughter squeak out like a balloon losing air, lying flat on his back his arms outstretched.

"Me too!" John lay on his face, breathing heavily into the grass. "Don't tell the girls, but crying was going to be the alternative. I had to let something out!" he said. He began to crawl along the ground, his hands feeling around for his spectacles.

"I know the feeling," said Peter. He sat up, and regarded John as he searched for his glasses. "What was Wendy so upset about? She wouldn't tell me. She just kept pacing and saying she'd made a mistake."

John had found his lost eyewear and began to rub them thoughtfully on the thigh of his pants. "She told me a secret about Tiger Lily."

"What secret?" Peter was loathe to be the last one to know anything.

"You told me about Wendy in confidence once Peter. I can't deny myself the same privilege. Tiger Lily and I… Did _it_. The thing we talked about, that you wanted to know about. You know. Consumation? Sex."

Peter raised his eyes to the sky in response to the obviousness of John's words. "Yes John, I had figured that out," he said, gesturing to the place where they'd been caught moments before.

"Well, this was the second time. The first was a few days ago."

This was shocking to Peter. "And you told Wendy, and not me?" he asked trying not to sound hurt.

"No, no, Tiger Lily told Wendy. And well, she told her something else." John looked at the ground. Peter leaned forward. "She's going to have a child. My child."

Peter stood suddenly, floating off the ground. "From having sex?!" His heart began to race a little.

John stared at him in surprise "Yes, that's where children come from Peter. Did I neglect that information in our discussion?"

"You certainly did," said Peter, pacing in the air. Wendy, oh God, Wendy. What if she was pregnant too? The implication left Peter frightened, and yet, a little warm from the glow of the thought. He squelched it quickly however. He would not think about it. They would deal with that later if they came to it.

He turned back to John. "You must be scared."

"Yes."

"Are you happy?"

John smiled. "Yes."

"Good." There didn't seem to be anymore for him to say. No more on the subject of feelings anyway.

"I'm staying here with Tiger Lily," said John.

"Naturally," said Peter. "I wouldn't expect anything less from a man like you."

John puffed up a tiny bit with pride from Peter's words. "Truly Peter?"

"I respect you very much John." He looked away not wanting John to see the emotion growing in his eyes at the thought of not seeing his friend again. He cleared his throat. "You're like a brother to me," he said quietly at the ground, half hoping he wouldn't hear him.

"I feel the same commander," said John, fidgeting with his hands.

They looked up at each other for a moment and then smiled at themselves. Why did they feel so uncomfortable? They'd been through too much together in the past few days to let some female type emotions get the best of them. They laughed and embraced with much patting and slapping on each others backs, and then drew away.

"I'll miss you, you scallywag," said Peter.

"I'll miss you too."

"Who's going to show me how to be a man in London? I was counting on you," said Peter suddenly.

"You'll be alright. I don't know much about being a man either."

"I guess we're learning."

"Against our will!" John started laughing again, and Peter joined him as they exited the clearing, Peter's arm around the shoulders of his friend.


End file.
